A wooden canoe engine operator, identified as Jerry Saleh, was reportedly amputated, while two brothers, Edoh Adikwu and Adah Adikwu, were brutally attacked with machetes in Makurdi, Benue State.
Another Tiv farmer, whose identity remains unknown, also sustained severe, life-threatening injuries.
The victims are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and Sandra Hospital in Makurdi.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at about 6:15 p.m. at Afubo Island, located a short distance from the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) headquarters and less than two kilometres from the 72 Special Forces Battalion in Makurdi.
According to an account shared by media aide to the House of Representatives member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, Ekani Olikita, the crisis began when about 10 Fulani men boarded a motorized wooden canoe from Wadata Market to Afubo Island but allegedly refused to pay their fares, leading to a heated argument.
“As the ensuing altercation escalated and the boat approached the island, some of the Fulani passengers reportedly made phone calls to their people on the island, who quickly mobilised to the docking point,” the statement said.
The account further alleged that upon arrival, armed assailants launched an attack on non-Fulani passengers and residents of Afubo community without provocation, leaving four persons severely injured.
The statement also raised concerns that Afubo Island has increasingly become a suspected hideout for armed militia, who allegedly launch attacks on nearby communities in Makurdi, Gwer West, Agatu, and Apa local government areas before retreating to the island.
It warned that unless security forces take urgent steps to dislodge the armed groups, peace may remain elusive in affected parts of Benue State.
The aide described the island as a “time bomb” that requires immediate attention to prevent further escalation of violence.
