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Residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, have been gripped by fear following a violent attack by suspected Fulani militants at Afubo Island that left a boat operator with a severed limb and three others seriously injured.
The incident occurred around 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday near the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, less than two kilometres from the 72 Special Forces Battalion. Victims include a canoe engine driver, Jerry Saleh, whose limb was severed, alongside two brothers, Edoh and Adah Adikwu, who sustained machete wounds. An unidentified Tiv farmer also suffered life-threatening injuries.
The victims are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and Sandra Hospital in Makurdi.
Eyewitnesses said the violence erupted after a dispute over transportation fares. Sources claimed the situation escalated when some passengers allegedly contacted armed accomplices waiting at the island. On arrival, the attackers reportedly descended on the passengers and nearby residents, targeting mainly Tiv and Agatu indigenes.
A local resident described the assault as brutal and coordinated, saying, “They attacked without warning. It was brutal and coordinated.” Another source added that Afubo Island has become a dangerous hideout, urging that “something urgent must be done.”
Residents have called on security agencies to dismantle suspected criminal camps in the area. The spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached for confirmation at the time of this report.
The attack has heightened tension in parts of Makurdi, with many expressing concern over the growing insecurity close to military installations in the state capital.
