No fewer than 100 cattle reportedly owned by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen have died under mysterious circumstances while crossing the River Benue into Nasarawa State.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked panic among riverine communities following eyewitness accounts and fears of possible attacks linked to the mass movement of the herders.
According to reports, the cattle were being herded across the river when a section of sand reportedly collapsed on them due to erosion, while several others drowned while attempting to swim across.
An eyewitness, Mr. Olikita Ekani, who spoke with newsmen, narrated how he stumbled upon the disturbing scene while returning from his farm on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
“I was coming from my farm and I saw several dead cows floating on River Benue, opposite Achepe village in Nasarawa State,” he recounted.
“I also saw hundreds of Fulani herdsmen rushing and crossing from Benue to the Nasarawa side. When I asked the fishermen assisting in ferrying them across, they told me the herders have been moving in large numbers back to Nasarawa over the past one week, which is often a sign of impending attacks.
“This trend has been consistent here — each time herders begin to cross back in large numbers, an attack follows.”
Mr. Ekani stated that over 100 cows have been lost during these crossings in the last few days, most of them perishing in Saturday’s incident.
A fisherman who declined to be named confirmed the mass death, disclosing that 64 cattle died on Saturday alone.
“Some of the cattle were buried under heavy sand when it collapsed as they approached the land, while others drowned during the swim,” he explained.
“We’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s mysterious.”
The fisherman further listed known crossing points the herders use between Benue and Nasarawa states. These include Abugbe to Odenyi, Ocholonya to Akpekpo, Achukpa to Ijiwo, and Oleg’Ada’Gomowe to Achepe.
As at press time, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful, as his mobile line was unreachable.
Meanwhile, fears continue to mount among locals in the border communities, who interpret the hurried return of the herders to Nasarawa as a signal of looming unrest.
