Blood on the riverbank: Two fishermen slain in fresh Agatu ambush

By Benedicta Aboh

Tragedy struck Obishu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State as two fishermen were reportedly killed in an ambush by suspected armed herdsmen, deepening fears of renewed violence in the troubled area.

Local sources said the victims were attacked late Monday while tending to their mud fishing pond, where they had gone to harvest fish. The gunmen allegedly lay in wait before striking, leaving the men dead at the scene.

“It is unfortunate that the attacked fishermen were going about their business when the armed herdsmen waylaid them,” a community source lamented. “They were innocent people earning a legitimate living.”

The attack came less than 24 hours after a similar incident claimed two lives in neighboring Apa Local Government Area, also in Benue State, raising concerns over a possible escalation of violence across the region.

Residents said fear gripped the community immediately after gunshots rang out. “They attacked the fishermen late yesterday, but because people fled when they heard the gunshots, nobody summoned the courage to visit the scene,” the source explained. “People were running away from their homes.”

It was not until about 10 a.m. on Tuesday that the Chairman of Agatu LGA, Mr. Melvin Ejeh, led soldiers to the area, where the bodies of the victims were discovered and evacuated. The corpses were reportedly found mutilated, further shocking residents.

The source suggested the killings might be linked to ongoing tensions over cattle rustling in the area. “Many people believe the attack may not be unconnected to the issue of cattle rustling by criminals, not these innocent fishermen,” he said. “It is an open secret that about 49 cows were rustled over time, and some suspects were arrested.”

Questioning the value placed on human life, the source added, “It is unfortunate that innocent people are being killed. I also wonder if a cattle is worth the life of a human being.”

Confirming the incident, Agatu LGA Chairman, Mr. Melvin Ejeh, said the victims were declared missing before their bodies were found. “The armed herdsmen laid ambush and killed the two victims. Soldiers were very proactive; when they heard the gunshots, they moved to the area, but the attackers had fled,” he said.

Ejeh maintained that his administration had intensified security measures in the LGA. “We engage in constant patrols of the communities. Before I became Chairman, everyone knows what was happening in Agatu — the constant killings and insecurity. Today, we have curtailed it,” he stated, adding that residents had been warned to avoid the affected area pending further investigations. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful as of press time.