The assault on Yelewata was characterised by Franc Utoo, a native of the town and a former principal special assistant to the governor of Benue State, as an intentional act of genocide and a sign of government desertion.
According to the Naijatrial, an invasion by suspected herdsmen in the early hours of Saturday morning resulted in the death of more than 100 people.
Utoo broke his silence on Saturday to release an impassioned speech in which he cried out for the victims of the Fulani militant attack on his town and called it “a horrifying act of dehumanisation.”
“They slaughtered us like animals,” he protested. It appears that this was more than just another attack; it was an organised genocide, as our people were wiped off with a frightening cruelty.
Between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., the assailants rode over a hundred motorcycles armed with high-grade weaponry into Yelewata, he said. They were thought to have begun their attack from known terrorist bases in the Giza and Kadarko axis of Keana LGA in Nasarawa State.
Additionally, he expressed his disappointment that there was no military opposition, even though there were security personnel present in the region.
Yelewata was occupied by troops. Our safety was to be ensured by them. However, they took zero action during the assault. Their silence is “disgraceful” as much as it is suspicious, he said.
“Yelewata is not just a dot on the map,” Utoo said, adding urging an impartial investigation, the rapid deployment of security forces, and emergency humanitarian aid for survivors. Thousands of peaceful people call this place home, and they should be able to live freely from fear. When our people’s blood is shed, it cries out. What else could this possibly be than genocide?