Tension has engulfed Ojoga community in Ichama, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, following the brutal murder of 22-year-old Joseph Gabriel Obitiye by a suspected Fulani herdsman identified as Suleiman, the son of Nana.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday, March 28, 2025, at approximately 11:00 pm, just hours after Obitiye had taken his wife to St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga, where she sadly delivered a stillborn child.
Attack Unfolds Amidst Mourning
After returning home, friends gathered to console Obitiye, and they remained together late into the night. According to an eyewitness, a group of six armed herdsmen, wielding AK-47 rifles and machetes, approached a nearby shop intending to loot provisions and food items—an act that locals claim has become increasingly frequent in the community.
Unaware that the men were armed, Obitiye reportedly approached them, questioning their presence at such an hour. Moments later, his friends heard him exclaim, “It’s Suleiman, Nana’s son!” followed by the deafening sound of gunfire.
Panic ensued as his friends fled for safety while the attackers continued shooting before vanishing into the nearby forest. When the gunfire ceased, witnesses rushed back and found Obitiye lying in a pool of blood, murmuring the name “Suleiman, Nana’s son” before succumbing to his injuries. He was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Rising Tensions and Calls for Justice
News of Obitiye’s murder spread rapidly, triggering outrage among residents. At dawn, a group of local youths and hunters mobilized and stormed the Fulani herdsmen’s forest settlement, only to find it abandoned, indicating that the herders had fled overnight.
The matter has since been reported to the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in Okpokwu LGA, prompting urgent calls for swift justice.
Residents of Ichama community have raised serious concerns about the escalating violence attributed to Fulani herdsmen. While both groups had coexisted peacefully for years, tensions began in 2022, when an Ichama resident was allegedly killed by herders. Since then, at least three other community members have fallen victim to similar attacks.
Pleas for Government Intervention
Many locals are now urging the Benue State government and federal authorities to take immediate action to prevent the Fulani herders from returning to the area. They argue that justice must be served for Obitiye and other victims of these attacks.
Community leaders insist that the government must implement stronger security measures to curb the ongoing violence and protect residents from further harm.
Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has condemned the killing, warning that continued negligence by the authorities could lead to more bloodshed and potential retaliation from locals.
As the community mourns, pressure mounts on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators and restore lasting peace to the troubled region.
