In the aftermath of the June 14 Yelwata massacre, survivors face a new crisis—nowhere to go. Despite successful treatments, the Chief Medical Director of Moses Adasu University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Stephen Terungwa Hwande, says many victims remain hospitalised, unable to return home, as entire communities destroyed and security remains fragile, reports SANNI ONOGU.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Moses Adasu University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, Dr. Stephen Terungwa Hwande, has expressed deep concern over the fate of victims of the June 14th Yelwata massacre, saying that although some have recovered physically, they cannot be discharged due to a lack of safe and habitable shelters. According to Dr. Hwande, while the institution has treated numerous injured survivors, it remains uncertain where many of those who have recovered will go afterward.
One victim currently receiving treatment at the hospital, Mr. David Ukeyima, told our correspondent that some of the discharged survivors have taken temporary shelter within the hospital premises due to a lack of alternative accommodations. The tragic attack occurred on June 14, when herder terrorists descended on the Yelwata community, located about 50 kilometres from Makurdi along the route to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. During the assault, over 200 farmers—including women and children—were killed, many burned beyond recognition after the assailants doused their homes with fuel and set them ablaze following the shootings.
In the wake of the massacre, more than 5,000 displaced persons have been relocated to a hastily established Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the International Market in Makurdi. This camp was set up by the Benue State Government to provide shelter for those evacuated from Yelwata. Dr. Hwande and Mr. Ukeyima, one of the victims of the attack receiving medical attention at the hospital, spoke separately to our correspondent during visits to Yelwata and Makurdi last week. When asked about the current situation following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolence visit to Benue State, Dr. Hwande expressed cautious optimism. “We must first thank God that the situation is somewhat under control. We also appreciate the President for taking the time to visit us. His visit has been instrumental in addressing the security challenges across Benue, not only in Yelwata but also in places like Naka and Ukum, where there have been other attacks,” Dr. Hwande said.
He further acknowledged the collective responsibility in restoring peace: “Peace is not the duty of one person alone. Some may try to put the entire burden on the Governor, but the President, as Commander-in-Chief, plays a crucial role. Traditional rulers, politicians, the organised private sector, youth groups, and the media all have parts to play. It is a collective effort.” Regarding the hospital’s role, Dr. Hwande revealed the scale of the medical response: “Currently, we have close to 100 patients under our care. Survivors have come from all over—some directly from the IDP camp, others from private hospitals. Over 40 of these patients have undergone surgery and are recovering from various injuries.
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“It’s not easy, but SEMA and some few well-meaning citizens came around. But we want to thank the Benue State Government because the SEMA, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, they came around and they did some assistance. Basically, that’s what is happening. But we also want to note that the security system has to be strengthened so that some of these people can go back to their areas because this is farming season. If you keep them in the IDP camp and they don’t farm, how do they feed later in the year? Or you want to keep giving them food? They should be secured to go back to their places. I earlier told you we had about 100 patients. The last count was 94. The discharge rate is very low because many of them sustained serious injuries. Some underwent surgeries, so discharging them isn’t something we can rush.
“Now, the question is—where do we discharge them to? To an IDP camp? Ideally, these people should return to their communities, not temporary shelters. So far, we have discharged about 10 who are in stable condition and strong enough to cope with the challenges of staying in an IDP camp. But for others, like those recovering from surgeries or with stab wounds, we can’t just send them back to an environment potentially more hazardous than the hospital. We’re discharging them gradually, but only when we’re sure they’re physically strong. Our hope is that they’ll eventually be discharged to their homes, not just anywhere.”
Among the victims is 35-year-old Ukeyima David, a farmer from Yelwata community, who recounted the horror that brought him to the hospital. He lost his wife and three children in the attack, escaping with gunshot wounds and machete cuts. “It happened on the night of June 14th, around 10:45 pm. We were asleep when we heard gunshots along Lafia Road, heading toward the Yelwata market,” he said.
“Security personnel in Yelwata tried to repel the attack, but they couldn’t. I was indoors with my family when the attackers came, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.’ They started killing people. We initially thought it was just targeted killings and that some would survive, but then they poured fuel on rooftops and set houses on fire. I managed to escape, but my wife and three children were killed. My first son, Ukeyima Samson, was nine. Micheal Sati Ukeyima was six, and Tersee Kingsley Ukeyima was three. My wife, Judith Ukeyima, was just 25 years old.”
On the treatment at the teaching hospital, he expressed deep appreciation: “The doctors are taking very good care of us. We are receiving excellent treatment.” When asked where he plans to go after being discharged, Ukeyima’s voice trembled: “We don’t know. Everything has been burnt to ashes. Our village is now a no-go area. Some people have been discharged but are still here at the hospital because they have nowhere else to go. They’re now staying in the hospital. The Benue State Emergency Management Agency has been feeding and taking care of us. They’ve been doing a great job in that regard.”
Still recovering from the violent attack that upended his life, Ukeyima David, a 35-year-old farmer from Yelwata community, spoke about the painful lessons he has drawn from the tragedy: “We are pleading with the government—if there is a solution to this problem, they should find it. Things are getting worse and worse. We experience this all the time, and some of us have lost our entire families. We don’t want it to happen to others. If there’s anything the government can do, let them stop these killings and displacements.”
Asked why Yelwata was targeted, Ukeyima said there had been no recent conflict that might have triggered the attack. Rather, it was a continuation of a prolonged displacement by suspected herder terrorists. “We had no immediate problem in that community. These people had already driven us from our original villages. We moved to Yelwata, which is a short trek from our village, and settled there. But now we can’t go back anymore—and we are farmers. We were displaced over four years ago. They have been grazing in our villages since then. We thought we’d find safety in Yelwata because it’s more open, but they came again—on a quiet night while we were simply sleeping in our rooms—and attacked us.”
Another survivor, Mrs. Panya Atoor, 40, echoed this grim reality. Speaking through an interpreter at the hospital, she recounted the ordeal of her family. “We were attacked by Fulani. At first, they grazed their cattle on our farms. Later, they began chasing us from our land.
We fled from the interior villages and sought refuge in Yelwata, thinking we would be safe there because it’s near the highway.
“But while we were sleeping that night, they came. They attacked and burned our house. My husband and I managed to save eight of our children, but they killed one. I’m recovering now, but I don’t know where I will go after discharge. Our home has been reduced to rubble. I would love to return to Yelwata, but we’ll need to find shelter elsewhere first.”
The horror of that night is also visible in the children’s ward, where innocent survivors battle trauma and injuries. Nurse Jandi Upeh, who guided our correspondent through the ward, shared the heart-breaking stories of the youngest victims. Pointing to a baby boy smiling faintly on the hospital bed, he said: “This is baby Targwen. He’s less than a year old. His mother and two siblings were killed in the Yelwata attack. He was found in the bush by another victim and brought here as an orphan. He had a machete wound on his waist and couldn’t even sit when he arrived. He’s getting better now.
“Later, we were able to trace and contact his father. In the meantime, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital arranged for a caregiver to look after him. He has now been reunited with his family.”
Nurse Upeh then introduced four-year-old Aondo Soomanta and his six-year-old brother, Aondo Manta: “Both their parents were killed during the attack. They’re now being cared for by their grandmother, who is here with them. Aondo Soomanta has a deep cut on his right side, and his brother also has a severe injury on his right arm. Both are undergoing treatment.”
Then there is eight-year-old Ukeyima Dooshima, a quiet girl with visible burn scars. “She sustained fire burns to her head and hand,” Upeh said. “The attackers poured fuel on rooftops and set houses ablaze, trapping people inside. She had three pints of blood transfused. Her stitches were just removed. She also suffered a deep cut on her back. Her father, Ukeyima David, who was shot from behind, is being treated in the men’s surgical ward.”