At least three people were killed, and several others injured in a violent clash between suspected armed herdsmen and local hunters in Okpomaju village, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident occurred during a hunting expedition when the herders, who were new to the area, mistook the hunters for threats and opened fire, killing two hunters on the spot.
In retaliation, the hunters fired back, killing one herder.
The attack triggered panic, forcing women and children to flee nearby communities. Farmers in Ugboju District also abandoned their fields after herders reportedly fired gunshots to intimidate them.
One farmer, Sunday Oga, recounted how he was chased off his farm by an armed herder, leaving his harvested crops behind.
One of the surviving hunters said a colleague was critically wounded and taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo.
Local leaders, including the Och’Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eimonye, and Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident.
Eimonye denied claims that herders paid chiefs for grazing land and said he was meeting with Fulani leaders to resolve the crisis.
Ogiri assured that measures were being taken to prevent further violence.
The Benue State Police Command, through its spokesperson, CSP Catherine Anene, stated that it had yet to receive an official report on the incident.
