The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State chapter, has denied involvement in the killing of at least 16 people in Otukpo Nobi, Otukpo Local Government Area.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday, with residents alleging that armed herders were responsible. In response, angry youths and women protested at the Ochidoma’s palace, carrying the bodies of victims.
In a statement issued Monday in Makurdi, MACBAN’s state secretary, Ibrahim Galma, condemned the killings but urged the public not to link the incident to Fulani herders without a thorough investigation.
Galma stated that Fulani residents had been evicted from Otukpo and surrounding communities since last year, adding that the area has ongoing communal disputes that could be linked to the violence.
He also dismissed suggestions that the attack was a reprisal for the recent killing of MACBAN chairman, Ardo Risku, warning that such claims could undermine ongoing investigations by security agencies.
MACBAN called on residents to remain calm and law-abiding while authorities probe the incident and urged caution against inflammatory social media posts that could escalate tensions.
The association expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for peace in Otukpo and Benue State.
