At least three people lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries following a violent clash between local hunters and armed Fulani herdsmen in Okpomaju village, Okete Ward, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to The PUNCH, the confrontation, which occurred on Monday during a routine hunting expedition, has instilled fear among residents, prompting mass displacement, particularly among women and children.
Eyewitnesses said the violence erupted when a group of armed herders, believed to be newcomers in the community, allegedly ambushed the hunters and opened fire, instantly killing two and leaving several others wounded. In retaliation, the hunters shot back, killing one of the herders.
A resident, Oga Sunday, who narrowly escaped an attack, narrated his ordeal.
“I was on my farm when an armed herder wielding a machete chased me. I had to abandon my harvested yams and other produce while cattle ravaged my farmland,” he recounted.
One of the hunters, speaking anonymously, described the attack.
“We were on our usual hunting exercise when we encountered a group of Fulani herdsmen. The moment they saw us, they started shooting. Some of our colleagues were fatally injured. In self-defense, we fired back and managed to neutralize one of them while the others fled,” he said.
He added that one of the wounded hunters, shot in the abdomen, was rushed to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for urgent medical care.
Following the attack, residents of nearby communities, including Akpachi, Oboh, and parts of Ugboju District, have reportedly abandoned their farms, fearing reprisals.
Confirming the incident, the traditional ruler of Otukpo, Och’Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eimonye, said efforts were being made to restore calm.
“We are working towards de-escalating tensions and have scheduled a meeting with the herders’ leaders to find a lasting solution,” Eimonye stated.
He also dismissed reports suggesting that the violence was linked to alleged land purchases by herders from local chiefs, describing such claims as misleading.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Maxwell Ogiri, acknowledged the crisis, assuring residents that steps had been taken to prevent further violence.
“One of the key resolutions is that herders’ leaders will identify and remove any of their members involved in criminal activities. They have also pledged to maintain peace with the people of Otukpo, as many of them were born and raised here,” Ogiri explained.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, CSP Catherine Anene, said she was gathering details from the Otukpo Divisional Police Officer.
