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A farmer identified as Yakubu Bitrus has lost one of his hands after a group of Fulani herdsmen allegedly attacked him and severed his hand following his refusal to assist in rescuing a cow that had fallen into a ditch.

Bitrus, who recounted his ordeal in a video shared on social media platforms on Friday in Agingi community, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, described how the herders allegedly attacked him after he initially declined their request to help free the trapped animal.

The farmer narrated the incident while receiving treatment at a hospital, saying the attack occurred as he and two women were returning from the farm.

He explained that the incident happened on Friday after he and the women reached their farm and worked until it was time for a break to eat.

According to him, a young herder approached them during the break and informed them that one of his cows had fallen, asking them to help lift the animal.

Bitrus said he told the herder that he was the only man present with two women and could not abandon them to assist with the rescue. He advised the herder to seek help from other farmers in the area so they could collectively lift the cow.

“The Fulani herder rejected my suggestion and insisted that the three of us should follow him immediately. He feared that the animal might die and warned me that if the cow dies, there would be a problem,” Bitrus said.

He said the situation later turned aggressive after the herder allegedly began abusing him verbally before chasing him with a stick and cutlass.

“I had already noticed another person hiding nearby and realising that the herder was possibly not alone, I decided against confronting him and we ran away to avoid any fight,” he said.

Bitrus said they later located other people and returned to the spot as a group to assist in rescuing the cow, but discovered that neither the herders nor the animal was still there.

“After waiting for about five minutes, we left for our different farms not knowing that the herdsmen had concealed themselves and were watching me and the two women from the point where we separated from the larger group.”

The farmer said the attackers later ambushed him and his wife as they headed home after completing the day’s work.

“As we were going home, my wife decided to leave the road briefly to gather some firewood while I remained on the road with the other woman while waiting for her.”

He said he shortly heard his wife screaming from the direction she had gone and immediately rushed towards her to determine what had happened, only to find the attackers assaulting her and hitting her on the head.

Bitrus said he picked up a piece of wood and confronted the herders, leading to a struggle as he attempted to protect himself and his wife while creating a chance for them to escape.

According to him, they initially engaged in a fight using sticks, but additional herders suddenly emerged from the bush and joined in the assault, with one of them allegedly using a machete to sever his hand before the attackers fled into the bush.

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