Blood stained the soil of Edikwu community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as dozens of victims of a brutal attack by suspected herdsmen were laid to rest in a harrowing mass burial. The ceremony, held under tight security and overwhelming grief, drew anger from citizens across Nigeria who say the government has once again failed to protect its people.
The massacre, which occurred earlier in the week, claimed at least 28 lives according to local sources, though community leaders insist the death toll is higher. Survivors recounted the horror of gunmen storming the community in the dead of night, torching homes and killing indiscriminately—many victims were women, children, and the elderly.
Photos from the burial site, showing rows of coffins and mourners wailing uncontrollably, have flooded social media, sparking national outrage. Activists, civil society groups, and diaspora organizations are now demanding a formal investigation and immediate intervention by both the federal government and international human rights bodies.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, who visited Apa LGA weeks ago after previous attacks, has yet to issue a personal statement on the latest killings, drawing criticism for what many see as repeated silence in the face of genocide. Local officials say over 150 people have been killed in Benue this year alone in similar attacks, with countless others displaced and farms abandoned due to fear.
Community voices are growing louder, accusing Nigeria’s political elite of complicity through their inaction. “We are tired of mass graves and empty condolences,” said Chief Dominic Ikwue, a village elder in Edikwu. “Benue is bleeding, and they treat it like a political inconvenience.”
Security experts warn that the recurring violence is not only a threat to local peace but a time bomb for national stability. They argue that the inability of security agencies to contain the killers points to a systemic collapse and a government more focused on political optics than human lives.
Calls for justice have since surged across platforms with hashtags like #BenueMassBurial, #StopTheKillings, and #JusticeForEdikwu trending nationwide. As citizens demand answers and accountability, Benue remains in mourning—its people, once again, left to bury their dead and count their losses alone.
