Yelewata IDP Relocation Protest Erupts Over Safety Concerns in Benue

Tension erupted Thursday night as the Yelewata IDP relocation protest broke out at the International Market Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, Benue State. Displaced residents from Yelewata community gathered to oppose government plans to relocate them back to their ancestral homes, insisting that security conditions remain too dangerous for their return.

Hundreds of women, children, and elderly men participated in the Yelewata IDP relocation protest, chanting “No security, no return!” and demanding that authorities halt the process until proper safety guarantees are provided. Many of the demonstrators are survivors of the June attack that claimed over 200 lives, when suspected armed herdsmen invaded Yelewata, burned homes and farms, and left entire families devastated.

Protesters expressed that the Yelewata IDP relocation protest was necessary to draw attention to their ongoing trauma and fear. One grieving mother tearfully recounted, “We watched our families burned alive. We need healing, counseling, and an assurance this will never happen again.” Survivors reported they still hear gunshots in the area and have received threats warning them not to return.

According to the protesters, the Benue State government’s recent announcement of a phased return was made without consulting the majority of IDPs still living in camps. “Our leaders may speak for themselves,” said one demonstrator during the Yelewata IDP relocation protest. “But those of us who survived the massacre are not ready to go back. We are still traumatized.”

The displaced residents issued three clear demands: a verified, permanent security deployment in Yelewata and surrounding communities; access to trauma-healing and counseling services; and a voluntary, gradual reintegration plan that respects their readiness and safety.

Civil society groups, including the Benue Humanitarian Network and the Justice & Peace Initiative, have thrown their support behind the Yelewata IDP relocation , urging the state government to suspend the relocation and initiate genuine dialogue with affected families.

As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Government had yet to release an official response to the growing tensions surrounding the relocation plans.