From Joseph Asegba, Yola
Suspected herdsmen have allegedly killed a boat operator and attacked three others on an island in Makurdi.
The incident involved a carved wooden canoe fitted with an engine, which ferries people across the River Benue from Afubo to Daudu (Olega Maku), the NASME Army Barracks, and other villages.
The operator, identified as Jerry Saleh, was reportedly mutilated. Two brothers, Edoh Adikwu and Adah Adikwu, were also brutally attacked with machetes in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at about 6:15 p.m. at Afubo Island, located a short distance from the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) headquarters and less than two kilometres from the 72 Special Forces Battalion in Makurdi.
An eyewitness account also stated that a Tiv farmer, whose identity remains unknown, sustained severe, life-threatening injuries.
The victims are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and Sandra Hospital in Makurdi.
A source revealed that, according to an account shared by a media aide to the House of Representatives member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, Ekani Olikita, the crisis began when about 10 Fulani men boarded a motorised wooden canoe from Wadata Market to Afubo Island but allegedly refused to pay their fares, leading to a heated argument.
The situation nearly escalated further, with warnings that unless security forces take urgent steps to dislodge the armed groups, peace in the area may not be sustained.
The aide described the island as a “time bomb” requiring immediate attention to prevent further escalation of violence.
However, efforts to reach the Benue State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO) were unsuccessful.
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