PHOTOS: Ruins, despair abound after killing spree in Benue

BY JAIRUS AWO

Over the years, Benue, a state in Nigeria’s north central zone, has known no peace. The attacks on agrarian communities by assailants suspected to be herders have been a historical occurrence. While the residents till the soil during the day to produce food, they sleep with one eye closed at night.

The events in the past weeks have been tragic. Many communities have been burnt to the ground, farms destroyed and many lives lost.

Yelewata, one of the communities in the Guma LGA area of the state, was attacked three times in one weeks with scores killed. Homes ruined, residents displaced, corpses littering muddy floors, they have nothing to hold on to — even as they fear more attacks could happen.

This is the new reality in Benue, the food basket of the nation.

Here are photos from TheCable’s visit to some of the affected communities.