YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – In a horrifying escalation of violence, between 100 and 200 Christians were murdered by Fulani Jihadists herdsmen in Nigeria’s Benue State, according to multiple sources.

Heavily armed jihadists stormed Yelwata – a farming community in Guma County – between Friday and Saturday. They set homes ablaze and slaughtered the predominantly Christian inhabitants.

Located less than five miles north of the state capital, Makurdi, Yelwata is a farming village that is 97 percent Catholic and three percent other denominations. It also hosts Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled earlier Jihadist Fulani attacks in neighboring towns.

According to Tersoo Kula, a spokesperson for the state governor’s office, the attack on Yelwata lasted about two hours and saw several houses burned down. He added that government and police officials visiting the village confirmed a lower death toll of 45.

However, Amnesty International said that at least 100 people were killed, but Truth Nigeria – a U.S.-registered online media organization that reports on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria – puts the death toll at over 200.

Father Moses Aondover Iorapuu – Vicar General Pastoral, Director of Communications and Parish Priest of Holy Ghost Parish in Makurdi – also claimed the higher number.

“The recent attack on Yelewata in Benue State, which left over 200 people killed or burnt beyond recognition, is a grim reminder of the daily struggles faced by many Benue citizens. This tragedy unfolded on June 13, 2025, a day after President Bola Tinubu renewed his commitment to transforming Nigeria and protecting the lives and properties of its citizens. The stark contrast between words and reality is jarring,” Iorapuu writes in the Catholic Star newspaper.

And the toll could rise.

“Many people are still missing, aside from dozens injured and left without adequate medical care. Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms. So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition,” said Amnesty International on X.

It said gunmen have been “on a killing spree with utter impunity.”

In comments to Crux, Iorapuu described the attack as “barbaric” and expressed disappointment at the inaction of the security forces.

“These attackers are animals and barbaric. Some of the victims were already displaced in previous attacks by these evil groups,” he said.

“The more disturbing part is that some military men were in the vicinity and even the police that stood between them and the mission house could only prevent them from gaining access to the mission house where a majority of displaced persons were housed,” the priest added.

Friday’s attack adds to the growing trend of attacks by Jihadist Fulani herdsmen on Christian communities.

Last month, gunmen believed to be herders killed at least 20 people in the Gwer West area of Benue. In April, at least 40 people were killed in the neighboring state of Plateau.

Iorapuu told Crux that every attack reshapes the Christian demographic in Nigeria.

He added that the Nigerian government, consistent with its past inaction, failed once again to respond, even though warnings existed that attacks would likely worsen after Bishop Wilfred Anagbe’s testimony in the United States.

On February 14, 2024, the bishop of Makurdi addressed U.S. lawmakers, declaring Christians in Nigeria faced genocide and urging the international community to intervene. Tragically, his testimony incited further violence in his hometown, with jihadists even threatening his life.

“We expected the attacks to intensify following the testimony of Bishop Wilfred Anagbe in the U.S. on the persecuted Church, but we believed that the warning from the U.S. would make the government to be proactive; we got it wrong again,” Iorapuu told Crux.

“This time round, over 200 Christians were killed and burnt.  These are human lives wasted; they are not figures to be counted,” he said.

Asserting “these are jihadists,” the priest noted that the attackers’ identity is known, citing the Chairman of Guma local government area. The chairman stated on television that “these are Fulanis” and instructed that they no longer be called “suspected herdsmen or bandits.”

“The credible evidence of who they are is undeniable, so why is the government helpless in securing the safety of its citizens? “Iorapuu asked.

Emeka Umeagbalasi is the Director of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety. He suggested that the government’s inaction is carefully planned.

“There is an agenda to Islamize Nigeria,” he told Crux.

That agenda, he said, became more pronounced during the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari who held Nigeria’s top office from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023.  He said Buhari – the son of a Fulani chief – not only provided them with arms but also gave his Muslim brethren major posts of responsibility in his administration while consigning Christians to the backburner.

In addition, Umeagbalasi said the former president worked hard at “Islamizing” the security agencies, noting that Buhari’s recent tenure saw increased Fulani jihadist access to state armories.

“We have a jihadist military,” he said.