Tension erupted in Ukpiam community, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, after a man identified as Mr. Zape Upaa was beaten by angry residents for allegedly attempting to deny a recent deadly attack by suspected armed herdsmen.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident happened in broad daylight while Zape was recording a video in the area, reportedly trying to discredit the attack that left villagers shaken overnight.
“He was trying to do a video to say nothing happened here. People got angry and attacked him,” a local resident told newsmen.
Images circulating on social media show Zape with multiple injuries, confirming that he was seriously assaulted.
Sources say the villagers were still recovering from the trauma of the recent attack and reacted angrily when they saw someone trying to “cover up” the incident.
The attack is part of a series of violent incidents in the area linked to suspected herders, which have sparked renewed calls for improved security and government intervention in rural Benue communities.
Zape was eventually rescued by concerned locals and rushed to a hospital in Makurdi, the state capital, for treatment.
Local authorities have yet to issue an official statement, but the incident highlights ongoing tensions in Benue over frequent farmer-herder clashes and the deep frustration of affected communities.
