A 54-year-old farmer, Jeremiah Onuminya, from the Usha community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, reportedly collapsed and died after a false alarm about an attack by suspected herders.
According to community sources, Onuminya was on his way to his farm on Monday, March 31, when some youths suddenly shouted in panic, “Fulani! Fulani!!” Fearing for his life, he attempted to flee 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.
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government, Melvin James, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, April 2, 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,” James said in the statement issued by his media aide, Solomon Obochi.
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.