Three persons were killed in a renewed crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers at Akpagodogbo, in Otukpa Local Government Area of Benue State.
Sources told a correspondent that the crisis, which started late hour of Wednesday, lasted till Thursday morning, leading to several persons being injured.
It was gathered from locals in the community that the crisis was triggered when cows strayed into people's farms and destroyed their crops.
The farmers were said to have mobilised themselves and chased away the herdsmen and their cows.
Some of the herdsmen were said to have run into police station in the community, but they were chased away by youths who joined the angry farmers.
"The problem started around 4.00pm when cow strayed into the farmlands at the time farmers were still working in their farms. This infuriated the farmers and they chased away the cattle and the herdsmen.
"This is not the first time the Fulani herdsmen have been attacking us here, and our livelihood is farming. For the cattle to have gone and destroyed our farmlands, the youths had to mobilise themselves and joined the farmers to resist the attack.
"As at this morning (Thursday), three persons have been killed. Among them were two young men from this village and one Fulani man."
The traditional ruler of Otukpa, HRH Solomon Ekele, who spoke to a correspondent on phone confirmed the death of three persons and condemned the act.
Also speaking on the attack, former Minister of State for Education who hails from the local government, Prof. Jerry Agada, condemned the attack and expressed shock about the development.
"Our people have been living with herdsmen for a long time, even we have inter-married and any time you interact with the Fulani in our community, they tell us that they are indigenes of the place. But that does not foreclose occasional attacks on my people," he said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident but said that there was no casuality.
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