Ardo Muhammad, the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), has clarified that the four men taken into custody in Okpokwu Local Government Area last week were innocent travelers, not kidnappers.
In a statement issued Tuesday in Makurdi, Muhammad explained that the Fulani men were en route from Benue to Onitsha to visit relatives when they were attacked.
The arrests followed reports that local youths had foiled a kidnapping attempt in the area on Wednesday, rescuing five people allegedly held by suspected abductors. Authorities later confirmed that three suspects were arrested and handed over to the police, while one person reportedly escaped.
Confirming the incident, Okpokwu Local Government Chairman Adah Inalegwu stated that the suspected kidnappers abandoned their captives after being chased by vigilante youths. He noted that three individuals were arrested the next day, but security agencies had not yet established their connection to the alleged abduction. “They are strangers in the community. It has not yet been confirmed if they were kidnappers, but they have been handed over to the police,” he said.
However, Muhammad rejected any link between the arrested men and kidnapping, insisting they were merely traveling to see relatives in Onitsha. He said, “The four Fulani men arrested were travellers going from Benue State to Onitsha to visit their relatives. One of them managed to escape. The other three were severely beaten. One of them later died from his injuries at the scene, while the remaining two are currently receiving medical treatment.”
The MACBAN chairman urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident, apprehend those responsible for the attack, and ensure justice is served. He dismissed allegations that the men were criminals, arguing they were targeted solely because they were Fulani travelers moving peacefully through the area.