A 54-year-old farmer, Jeremiah Onuminya, tragically lost his life in the Usha community of Agatu Local Government Area, Benue State, after collapsing in panic following a false alarm about an attack by suspected herders.
Sources revealed that Onuminya was heading to his farm on Monday, March 31, 2025, when a group of youths suddenly shouted, “Fulani! Fulani!!” in apparent fear. Believing he was in imminent danger, Onuminya attempted to flee but collapsed just a few meters from his house, dying on the spot.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions in the community after 20 cows were reportedly poisoned on a nearby farm.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, Agatu LGA Chairman Melvin James extended condolences to the bereaved family. He noted that preliminary investigations, supported by security agencies and the deceased’s relatives, suggested that Onuminya’s death resulted from exhaustion while fleeing, with no evidence of an actual attack.
“To establish the precise cause of death, the chairman proposed an autopsy; however, the family declined, accepting that Mr. Onuminya’s passing was due to health complications,” read the statement issued by James’ media aide, Solomon Obochi.
James cautioned residents against spreading unverified claims that could incite fear and disrupt the fragile peace in the area, emphasizing that false alarms pose serious risks to public safety and security efforts.
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, further escalating tensions between farmers and herders in the region.
