GOVERNOR ALIA CONFIRMS 59 DEAD IN BENUE MASSACRE AS POPE, PROTESTERS DEMAND JUSTICE

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has confirmed the deaths of 59 people following a recent attack by suspected herdsmen in Yelewata, a border town between Benue and Nasarawa States.
Speaking at the Government House in Makurdi on Sunday, Governor Alia said the death toll was verified through a joint count by security agencies and affected families. The casualties included members of the military and civil defence who lost their lives protecting the community. One woman was also killed on the Nasarawa side of the border.
Governor Alia expressed appreciation to his Nasarawa counterpart, Governor Abdullahi Sule, for sharing intelligence on the attackers. He spoke while receiving a report on militia activities in Sankera, a volatile region in Benue. He pledged to submit the report to appropriate authorities for thorough investigation.
The massacre has drawn strong condemnation, including from Pope Leo XIV, who described the killings as a “brutal massacre” and offered prayers for the Christian communities in rural Benue. Speaking from the Vatican during the Angelus prayer, the Pope said the victims were mostly displaced civilians who suffered “unspeakable cruelty.”
In Makurdi, angry youths staged mass protests on Sunday at the Wurukum roundabout, calling for decisive government action. They were joined by social media activist VeryDarkMan, who has been vocal on security issues across Nigeria. The incident has sparked national outrage and renewed demands for the protection of vulnerable communities.