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Fresh details have emerged over the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Muhammad, as his family alleged that he was lured to a police-convened peace meeting before he and an associate were ambushed and murdered by suspected gunmen.
The slain herders' leader was reportedly returning from a peace dialogue between Fulani herders and farming communities in Ohimini Local Government Area when he and his associate, Yakubu Isah, were attacked and killed on Friday afternoon. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed concerns over the safety of peace negotiators in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the family, the deceased's eldest son, Muhammad Idris, said his father had informed relatives before leaving home that he was responding to an invitation from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ohimini for a meeting aimed at resolving disputes between herders and local farming communities.
According to Idris, his father abandoned plans to travel by car because of the poor condition of the road and instead rode on a motorcycle with his associate. He explained that upon arriving at the police station, the deceased discovered that several key stakeholders earlier said to be attending, including the council chairman and the traditional ruler, were absent.
The family claimed that discussions at the meeting focused mainly on complaints of cattle destroying farmlands and plans for future dialogue between affected communities and Fulani herders. Idris said his father questioned why such issues required his physical presence, insisting they could have been resolved through telephone consultations before agreeing to facilitate future engagements.
He further alleged that after the meeting ended, his father remained behind with the DPO for further discussions while two other Fulani leaders departed ahead of him. The family believes a suspicious Hilux vehicle spotted along the route was part of the operation that later resulted in the fatal ambush.
The attackers reportedly struck at Okwudu in Otukpo Local Government Area, about two to three kilometres from Ohimini, killing Ardo Risku Muhammad and Yakubu Isah on the spot.
Demanding a comprehensive investigation, the family urged the Benue State Government, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to explain why the peace meeting proceeded without adequate security or the participation of key officials earlier mentioned in the invitation.
Reacting to the incident, chairmen of the nine local government councils in Benue South Senatorial District, alongside Governor Hyacinth Alia's Special Adviser on Internal Security, described the killing as a criminal act intended to undermine the fragile peace recently restored in the area.
Ohimini Local Government Chairman, Gabriel Adole, said the meeting followed complaints from Awule community that some herders were restricting farmers' access to their farmlands. He maintained that neither the council nor traditional rulers participated in the meeting and insisted the slain MACBAN chairman enjoyed cordial relations with the people of Ohimini.
Other council chairmen, including those of Otukpo and Agatu local government areas, also condemned the killing, describing Ardo as a respected peace advocate whose death should not be blamed on any ethnic group but on criminal elements seeking to destabilise the state.
Governor Alia's Special Adviser on Internal Security, Chief Joseph Har, appealed against reprisals, assuring that security agencies were working to uncover those responsible for the killings.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command announced the arrest of 10 suspects in connection with the murder. Police spokesperson DSP Udeme Edet said investigations were ongoing, while Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu assured residents that every person linked to the crime would be brought to justice.
The national leadership of MACBAN also demanded justice, describing the murder as a direct attack on a prominent peace advocate. The association's president, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, said the group would closely monitor the investigation and introduce stricter security measures for its officials nationwide, including screening invitations before attending public meetings.
The killing has also drawn condemnation from the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, both of whom called for a transparent investigation and prosecution of all those responsible while urging residents to remain peaceful and allow the law to take its course.
