The chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Ardo Risku, and his son, Ibrahim, have been killed by suspected militia members while returning from a peace meeting in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.

According to Zagazola Makama, a security publication covering the Lake Chad region, the attack occurred near Ahimeni in the Okodu area shortly after the victims attended a meeting aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence among communities in the area.
Sources said the assailants ambushed Risku and his son on their journey home, killing both of them at the scene.

The incident has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in Benue State, where repeated attacks by armed groups have claimed numerous lives, displaced thousands of residents and deepened tensions among farming and herding communities.

Community members described the killing as a tragic setback to ongoing efforts to promote dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

Some stakeholders also warned against ethnic profiling in the aftermath of the attack, urging Nigerians not to hold entire communities responsible for the actions of criminal elements.

They stressed that security efforts should focus on identifying, arresting and prosecuting those directly responsible for violent crimes rather than attributing such acts to ethnic or religious groups.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident. However, sources said efforts were underway to track down and apprehend those behind the attack.

The latest killing comes less than a year after the acting chairman of the Katsina State chapter of MACBAN was murdered by gunmen. During that attack, the assailants also abducted the late chairman’s two wives and his daughter, highlighting the growing security challenges facing members of the association in different parts of the country.