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, around 11:00 p.m., just hours after Obitiye had taken his wife to St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga, where she suffered the heartbreaking loss of their stillborn child. Upon returning home, friends gathered at his residence to console him, staying late into the night.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of six armed herdsmen, carrying AK-47 rifles and machetes, approached a nearby shop with the intent to loot food and provisions—an act residents say has become increasingly common in the community.
Unaware that they were armed, Obitiye reportedly approached the group and questioned their presence at such a late hour. Seconds later, his friends heard him exclaim, “It’s Suleiman, Nana’s son!” followed by the sound of gunfire.
Panic spread as his friends fled for safety while the attackers continued shooting before disappearing into the nearby forest. When the gunfire ceased, witnesses rushed back to find Obitiye lying in a pool of blood, murmuring “Suleiman, Nana’s son” before succumbing to his injuries.
He was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, where doctors confirmed his death on arrival.
News of Obitiye’s murder sparked widespread anger among residents. By dawn, a group of local youths and hunters mobilized and stormed the Fulani settlement in the nearby forest, only to find it abandoned—suggesting that the herdsmen had fled overnight.
The matter has been reported to the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in Okpokwu LGA, with growing calls for justice. Residents of Ichama community have voiced deep concerns over the rising wave of violence linked to Fulani herders.
While both groups coexisted peacefully for years, tensions escalated in 2022 following the alleged killing of an Ichama resident by herdsmen. Since then, at least three other community members have been murdered in similar attacks.
Residents are now urging the Benue State government and federal authorities to take decisive action to prevent further attacks. Many insist that the herders should not be allowed to return, stressing that justice must be served for Obitiye and other victims.
Community leaders have called for stronger security measures to protect residents from further violence. Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), also condemned the attack, warning that continued inaction by the authorities could trigger retaliation from locals and escalate tensions further.
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