Speaking in a video interview with News Central TV, the survivor, Michael Ajah, tearfully narrated how the attackers stormed his home during a downpour, killing his relatives and setting fire to his property.
“My people, my family members, they died in this house—11. Some died in the other store, eight, and others died nearby. Altogether, 20 of my family members were killed,” Ajah said.
He emphasized that the figure represented only his immediate relatives, saying, “That is my own family members. I’m not talking about any other person.”
Ajah, who stood amidst the charred remains of his home and shops, said he lost all his possessions in the attack.
“Thisis my store. Those shops are mine. They are all burnt. My house is up there, also burnt. The store where I packed my goods—burnt. They burnt my clothes, food, and everything we had. We escaped with only the clothes we were wearing,” he said, clutching the tattered garment on his body.
According to Ajah, the attack happened at night around 10:20 p.m. during a heavy rainfall. He said the assailants, whom he identified as Fulani men based on their speech, opened fire and surrounded his house.
“I was inside the room when they came. I heard them speaking clearly. They surrounded the house. I escaped narrowly. My brother and father were burnt alive in the house,” he recalled.
The Yelewata attack is one of a series of violent incidents that have plagued parts of Benue State in recent years, with authorities repeatedly condemning the killings and promising to enhance security in the region.
