A 54-year-old farmer, Jeremiah Onuminya, from the Usha community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, has reportedly slumped and died after a false alarm was raised about an attack by suspected herders.
Sources in the community told PUNCH that Onuminya was heading to his farm on Monday, March 31, when some youths suddenly shouted, “Fulani! Fulani!!” in panic.
Attempting to flee, he ran for his life but collapsed a few meters from his house and died on the spot.
The incident occurred days after 20 cows were allegedly poisoned on a nearby farm, a situation that had heightened tension in the community.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Wednesday, the Chairman of Agatu Local Government, Melvin James, expressed condolences to the deceased’s family. He said initial investigations, corroborated by security agencies and the family, suggested that Onuminya collapsed from exhaustion while trying to escape, 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, issued by his media aide, Solomon Obochi, read in part.
James urged residents to avoid spreading unverified information that could incite panic and disrupt the fragile peace in the area. He warned that false alarms posed serious risks to public safety and efforts toward security and unity in the community.
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