More than 100 cattle reportedly belonging to suspected armed Fulani herdsmen have died under mysterious circumstances while attempting to cross the River Benue into Nasarawa State, sparking local fears of impending attacks.

The incident occurred on Saturday, June 14, 2025, with eyewitnesses stating that some of the cattle drowned, while others were buried alive as eroded soil collapsed on them near the riverbank.

A local farmer, Mr. Olikita Ekani, who witnessed the event, told reporters:

“I was returning from my farm and saw dead cows floating on the river, opposite Achepe village in Nasarawa State. I also saw several Fulani herdsmen rushing across the river back into Nasarawa.”

 

Ekani said the hurried movement of herders across the river has been ongoing for over a week, a pattern which, according to him, often precedes attacks in the area.

“Whenever we observe this kind of movement, it’s usually a sign that an attack is coming,” he warned.

 

A fisherman, speaking anonymously, confirmed that at least 64 cattle died on Saturday alone, citing soil collapse and drowning as primary causes.

“We’ve never seen this scale of cattle deaths before. It’s both strange and alarming,” he said.

 

The affected crossing points were identified as Abugbe to Odenyi, Ocholonya to Akpekpo, Achukpa to Ijiwo, and Oleg’Ada’Gomowe to Achepe, all known entry routes between Benue and Nasarawa States.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, for official confirmation were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.