A 54-year-old farmer, Jeremiah Onuminya, from the Usha community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, reportedly slumped and died following a false alarm about an attack by suspected herders.
Sources said Onuminya was on his way to the farm on Monday, March 31, 2025, when some youths suddenly shouted, “Fulani! Fulani!!”;; in panic. Fearing for his life, he attempted to flee but collapsed just a few meters from his house, dying on the spot.
The incident came amid heightened tension in the community after 20 cows were allegedly poisoned on a nearby farm.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin James, extended condolences to the bereaved family. He stated that preliminary investigations, supported by security agencies and the deceased’s relatives, indicated that Onuminya’s death resulted from exhaustion while fleeing, with no evidence of an attack.
“In an effort to determine the exact cause of death, the chairman suggested an autopsy; however, the family declined, accepting that Mr. Onuminya’s passing resulted from health complications,”;; the statement signed by the LG chairman's media aide, Solomon Obochi, said.
James urged residents to refrain from spreading unverified claims that could incite panic and destabilize the community’s fragile peace. He warned that false alarms posed serious risks to public safety and security efforts in the area.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Risku Mohammed, accused a local farmer of poisoning 20 cows belonging to one of its members.
