Makurdi herdsmen attack leaves one boat operator dead and three others injured on Afubo Island, Benue State, amid rising militia concerns
A suspected herdsmen attack in Makurdi has left a wooden canoe operator dead and three others severely injured, local sources confirmed. The incident occurred around 6:15 p.m. on Afubo Island, near the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering headquarters.
Victims include canoe operator Jerry Saleh, who reportedly suffered amputation injuries, and two brothers, Edoh Adikwu and Adah Adikwu, who were attacked with machetes.
A fourth Tiv farmer, whose identity remains unknown, sustained life-threatening injuries. All victims are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and Sandra Hospital in Makurdi.
According to Ekani Olikita, media aide to the House of Representatives member for Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, the crisis began when approximately ten Fulani men boarded a motorised canoe from Wadata Market to Afubo Island but allegedly refused to pay fares, sparking a heated dispute.
Olikita said reinforcements from the island arrived after phone calls from the passengers, leading to a violent assault on non-Fulani passengers and residents.
The aide described Afubo Island as 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.
“The island is a time bomb that requires immediate attention from security forces to prevent further escalation of violence,” the statement warned, highlighting the urgent need for intervention to restore peace in the region.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.
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