MAKURDI, Nigeria — In a brutal ambush that has severely heightened security tensions across Benue State, gunmen have assassinated the State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Muhammad, alongside another traveler identified as Yakubu Isah.
The fatal attack occurred on Friday, June 26, 2026, just moments after the victims departed a strategic conflict-resolution peace meeting intended to ease local farmer-herder hostilities.
Ambushed En Route from Dialogue
According to family members and local administrators, Muhammad had been participating in a crucial peace dialogue convened by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Ohinmini Local Government Area. The meeting sought to defuse rising friction between Fulani pastoralists and the Ayunne agrarian community.
The Chairman of the Ohinmini LGA, Adole Gabriel, noted that the peace talks had actually concluded successfully, with all factions agreeing on collaborative measures to ensure peaceful coexistence.
Timeline of the Tragedy
├── 1. Peace Dialogue: Held in Ohinmini LGA between MACBAN and Ayunne community leaders.
├── 2. Resolution: Successful agreement reached on peaceful coexistence measures.
└── 3. The Ambush: Intercepted and fatally shot while driving through neighboring Otukpo LGA.
Shortly after leaving the meeting, Muhammad and Isah drove into the neighboring Otukpo LGA. As their vehicle passed through the Okudu community, waiting gunmen intercepted them and opened fire, killing both men instantly. Muhammad’s eldest son later confirmed that the attack was a targeted, calculated ambush.
Local Authorities Plead for Calm
The killings have sent a wave of panic through surrounding communities, raising immediate fears of retaliatory violence in a region historically plagued by deeply rooted communal conflicts between local farming towns and nomadic herders.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, acknowledged the volatility of the situation and stated that security reinforcements had been deployed rapidly to the area.
“It is true that the Benue State Chairman of MACBAN was killed within Otukpo Local Government Area,” Ogiri said. “The incident has generated severe tension in the affected communities and surrounding areas. We are pleading with residents to remain calm while security agencies act to prevent any breakdown of law and order.”
Police Launch Investigation
The Benue State Police Command has officially acknowledged the targeted killings.
Police Spokesperson DSP Udeme Edet confirmed that a high-level investigation has been launched to unmask the perpetrators and establish the exact operational circumstances behind the ambush. As of the time of this report, no suspects have been taken into custody.
State security agencies have strictly warned against any retaliatory provocations, urging all regional factions to allow law enforcement to handle the judicial aftermath.
