Tragedy struck Ukohol community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State as suspected herdsmen reportedly ambushed and killed a respected traditional leader and former educationist, Chief Zaki Bernard Aondohemba Isho, along with another villager, Mr. Uger Sember.
The attack occurred on Thursday while the victims were working on their farmland. According to eyewitnesses and local sources, the assailants laid an ambush, fatally shooting the victims before setting Chief Isho’s motorcycle ablaze in a show of brutality.
Reverend Father Mfa Tivdoo, a Catholic priest who confirmed the tragic event, said another person was seriously wounded during the assault and is currently receiving treatment at a local clinic in Daudu.
Additionally, two individuals who were part of the group remain missing, sparking fears that they may also have been harmed or abducted.
A young boy who had accompanied the victims managed to escape the onslaught but sustained injuries. He is also being treated in Daudu, a nearby town known to host numerous internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to the ongoing violence in the region.
In an emotional reflection posted on social media, Rev. Fr. Tivdoo shared his grief upon learning of Chief Isho’s death.
The priest, who was at an IDP camp at the time of the incident, recounted the late chief’s recent visit during a Diocesan PTA meeting in Apir.
He recalled their last conversation in the backyard of a farm, where Chief Isho promised to visit again soon—a promise now broken by the cruel hand of death.
“Today was not my day,” the priest wrote. “I couldn’t bring my usual hopeful energy to the IDP camp. While barbing was going on, I left briefly for Apir to prepare something for the displaced persons.
“I returned later to thank the barbers, only to discover one of them had stolen my new clippers, leaving behind his old, unusable one.
“But the real heartbreak came this evening when I learned what had truly been unfolding: the murder of Chief Bernard Isho Sumari.”
He described the late chief as one of the most dedicated and hardworking farmers in Daudu and lamented the loss as a deep blow to the community.
The gruesome killing of Chief Isho and Mr. Sember is the latest in a series of violent attacks that have plagued farming communities in Benue State, often attributed to suspected Fulani herdsmen.
These recurrent incidents have led to widespread displacement, destruction of farmlands, and a deepening climate of fear among rural dwellers.
Local authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the attack, but community leaders and residents are calling for urgent intervention by security agencies to curb the escalating violence and bring the perpetrators to justice.