Jeremiah Onuminya, a 54-year-old farmer, was reportedly from the Usha community in the Agatu local government area of Benue state, and some young people in the village reportedly issued false alarms, died and died.
Onuminya was heading to his farm on Monday, March 31, when some boys suddenly shouted “Fulani! fulani!!” to cause panic among villagers. In order to escape, the farmer fell down a few meters of his house and died.
A village source confirmed the incident, noting: “Unfortunately, when he fell and died, he was only a few meters away from his house.” According to locals, the deceased’s farm was next to another farmland, with 20 cows allegedly poisoned to death last Saturday.
Agatu Local Government Regional President Melvin James confirmed the incident in a statement Wednesday in a statement released by Makurdi’s media aide Solomon Obochi.
“The Agatu Local Government Commission deeply mourned the unfortunate demise of Mr. Jeremiah Onuminya from Usha Ward, who died on 31 March 2025, as a result of a painful incident that caused false alarms about the impending attack,” the statement said.
James noted that preliminary investigations confirmed by security agencies and families of the deceased showed that Onuminya collapsed due to exhaustion while fleeing, and there was no evidence of the attack by Fulani herders.
The statement added: “To determine the exact cause of the death, the Chairman recommended an autopsy. However, the family refused and accepted that the death of Onuminya was caused by health complications.”
The Council President urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information that could cause panic and undermine peace. He warned that fictitious alerts pose significant risks to public safety and undermine efforts to promote unity and security in the region.
In reaffirming commitment to safety and security for Agato residents, James assured that local governments will continue to work with security agencies to remain vigilant and respond to potential threats. He called on residents to verify information before sharing to prevent similar tragic events.
The incident comes after allegations from the Mia Allah Cattle Breeders Association of the Mia Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Benue State, Bistu Mohammed claimed on Sunday that a farmer in Usha poisoned one of his members.
