An American citizen, Mr. Alex Barbir, has visited Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where skeletal remains believed to belong to victims of past violent attacks were found scattered across parts of the town.
The discovery is connected to the deadly attack on Yelwata between June 13 and June 14, 2025, when armed assailants stormed the farming community, killing many residents and forcing others to flee their homes. Among those reportedly killed were women and children.
Eyewitnesses said that although the area was earlier cleared after the attack, human bones were still visible on the ground during the visit. According to residents, some remains could be picked up easily, a grim reminder of the scale and brutality of the violence that swept through the community.
For locals, the sight was deeply painful. Many said seeing the skeletal remains reopened old wounds and brought back traumatic memories of the massacre that wiped out families and shattered livelihoods.
Residents explained that the continued presence of human remains shows that the community has not fully healed, emotionally or psychologically. They described the trauma as ongoing, with fear, grief, and unanswered questions still hanging over the town.
Some community members drew spiritual meaning from the scene, comparing it to the biblical Valley of Dry Bones in the Book of Ezekiel, which they see as a symbol of hope, renewal, and eventual restoration after destruction.
Others expressed hope that international attention, including visits and advocacy by foreign individuals and global leaders, could help shine a brighter light on the security crisis in Benue State and push for lasting solutions.
The community called on federal, state, and local authorities, as well as humanitarian groups and civil society organisations, to step up efforts toward justice, stronger security, and proper psychosocial support for victims and affected families.
