From Massacre to Rebuilding: Yelewata Survivors Receive New Homes as ETP School Project Begins

Equipping the Persecuted says construction of modern primary and secondary schools will begin in January as housing support expands for families displaced by the 2025 attack.

MAKURDI, Nigeria — More than a year after gunmen killed 271 residents in the Benue farming community of Yelewata, survivors are beginning to see signs of recovery. Equipping the Persecuted (ETP) has unveiled plans for modern schools and expanded housing projects, while presenting newly completed homes to families whose lives were shattered by the massacre.

The organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Judd Saul, announced the plans during a visit to the farming community on Saturday, November 7, 2026, where he met survivors and inspected ETP-supported reconstruction projects.

Yelewata, located in Guma County, approximately 32 miles (52 kilometers) north of Makurdi, Benue State’s capital, is a predominantly Christian community. On June 13–14, 2025, the community suffered a devastating attack in which 271 Christians were reportedly massacred by approximately 400 heavily armed Fulani militia members.

The attack remains one of the deadliest episodes in Benue State’s protracted security crisis. The faith-based organization has also constructed a memorial honoring the 271 victims.

The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has linked armed Fulani militias to nearly 24,000 civilian deaths during a four-year reporting period, underscoring the scale of Nigeria’s continuing insecurity.

Speaking at the Yelewata Genocide Memorial, where women, elderly residents and children gathered to welcome him, Saul announced that construction of the proposed schools would begin in January 2027.

“We will construct ultra-modern primary and secondary schools in Yelewata, equipped with standard American learning facilities and solar-powered electricity. Work is expected to commence in January 2027,” Saul announced.

He explained that the educational intervention would address the needs of children whose schooling was disrupted by the June 2025 massacre, adding that ETP remained committed to helping survivors rebuild their lives.

Saul expressed concern over what he described as the inadequate government response to the victims’ suffering. He assured residents that the organization would continue supporting survivors and advocating justice for Christians facing persecution in Nigeria.

ETP Expands Housing Support

During the visit, Saul inspected a newly constructed house provided by ETP to Mr. Akera Peter Wonov, a survivor of the Yelewata massacre. He commended the organization’s Benue State focal person, Comrade Andy Nomsoor, for supervising the successful completion of the project.

Saul reiterated ETP’s commitment to constructing at least one house every month for affected families in Yelewata until its housing intervention target is achieved.

Expressing gratitude during an interview with TruthNigeria, Wonov described the intervention as a turning point after the tragedy.

“I was hopeless after the genocide, but Mr. Judd Saul transformed my life through ETP. I had lost hope of rebuilding my future, but today I have a home again. May God continue to bless him and the organization for remembering people like us,” Wonov said.

In another significant intervention, Saul and members of his team formally presented a newly constructed house to Mrs. Mwuese Kehemen, another survivor of the massacre.

While presenting the house, Saul prayed for the family and described the intervention as part of ETP’s sustained commitment to restoring dignity and providing shelter for displaced victims of attacks across Benue State.

Overwhelmed by the gesture, Kehemen told TruthNigeria that the new house had restored hope to her family.

“My children and I had nowhere to stay after the attack. We lost our home and everything we had, but this house provided by Mr. Judd Saul has given us a new beginning. Hope has been restored to my family, and we are deeply grateful,” she said.

Security Analyst Commends ETP

A retired Superintendent of Police and counterterrorism expert, Jimmy Iorbee, commended Saul and ETP for their humanitarian intervention, particularly their commitment to rebuilding communities devastated by armed violence.

In an interview with TruthNigeria, Iorbee emphasized that rebuilding homes, restoring education and supporting vulnerable survivors were essential components of long-term recovery in conflict-affected communities.

“What Judd Saul and Equipping the Persecuted are doing in Yelewata deserves commendation. Beyond providing immediate relief, they are helping victims recover their dignity, rebuild their lives and regain hope after experiencing unimaginable violence. When people lose their homes, their loved ones and their means of livelihood, humanitarian assistance must go beyond temporary relief.

“The decision to construct modern schools is particularly important because children who survive these attacks should not be condemned to a future without education. Equally commendable is the commitment to build at least one house every month. This demonstrates consistency and a practical understanding of the needs of displaced families.

“However, humanitarian organizations cannot replace government responsibility. The Nigerian government must strengthen security, protect vulnerable communities, bring perpetrators to justice and create the conditions necessary for displaced people to return home safely. The international community should also pay closer attention to the continuing violence and support credible efforts toward accountability and recovery”, Iorbee told TruthNigeria 

Community Leaders Welcome Intervention

ETP’s Benue State Focal Person, Comrade Andy Nomsoor, commended the organization’s leadership for maintaining its commitment to survivors, describing Saul’s visit as a powerful reassurance that the community had not been forgotten despite the loss of 271 lives.

He said the organization’s interventions were helping restore confidence among residents and providing practical assistance to families struggling to recover from the massacre.

The Village Head of Mbaingi Community, Zaki Clement Iorshe, also expressed appreciation to Saul for ETP’s continued support, particularly through Barr. Franc Utoo, the organization’s Media Relations Officer, whom he identified as a son of the community.

Beyond Yelewata, the ETP delegation visited snakebite victims receiving treatment under the organization’s care in Makurdi.

Saul prayed for the patients and reaffirmed ETP’s commitment to sustaining and increasing budgetary support for snakebite treatment in Benue State.

During the Yelewata visit, Nomsoor also accompanied the delegation around the community to interact with residents and identify additional areas requiring humanitarian intervention.

For survivors of the June 2025 massacre, the new houses and proposed schools represent more than reconstruction: they offer a pathway toward rebuilding families, restoring education and reclaiming a future shattered by violence.

Ekani Olikita is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.

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