OndoReporter | AGATU GENOCIDE: Benue lawmakers slam Buhari

OndoReporter | AGATU GENOCIDE: Benue lawmakers slam Buhari


House of Representatives, yesterday,
slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for
downplaying what they described as
genocide against the Agatu people of the
state.

Briefing journalists, the 11 members led by
Rep Orker Jev, decried the lukewarm attitude
of the Federal Government towards the
‘jihad’ being waged against Benue people by
Fulani herdsmen.

Jev who read the press statement on behalf
of the group insisted that if nothing was
done to address the issue Benue people
would have no other option than to defend
themselves against the herdsmen.
The 11 lawmakers, who urged urgent
resolution of the problem and signed signed
the statement were: Orker Jev (Buruku
Constituency), Herman Hembe (Konshisha/
Vandeikya), John Dyegh (Gboko/Tarka),
Samson Okwu (Oju/Obi), Ezekiel Adaji
(Otukpo/Ohimni), Hassan Saleh (Ado/
Ogbadibo/Okpokwu), Adamu Entonu (Apa/
Agatu), Emmanuel Udende (Katsina-Ala/
Logo/Ukum), Dickson Tarkighir (Makurdi/
Guma), Wayo Benjamin (Kwande/Ushongo)
and Gbillah Mark T. (Gwer East/Gwer West.)
Specifically, Samson Okwu lamented that
after massacring Agatu people including
women and children and razing down the
eight communities, the alleged perpetrators
of the calamity, the Fulani herdsmen, have
taken over the areas unchallenged.

Okwu told Saturday Vanguard that the killings
that took place in Agatu were nearly the
same style used by the Boko Haram in
North-East and that the Federal Government
should set up an intervention fund to rebuild
Agatu.

Speaking for the 11-man caucus, Jev said:
“A genocide that is typical of the Nigerian
state has been downplayed or ignored until it
spirals out of control. After the Agatu mass
massacre, a few headlines were recorded, a
few sympathetic comments in high places
but concrete moves to stop the killings have
not been made.

FG’s lukewarm attitude
“We decry the lukewarm attitude of the
Federal Government towards this ‘jihad’ being
waged against our people by the herdsmen.
We condemn the belated reaction of
President Muhammadu Buhari and his
Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman
Danbazzau (retd), who broke their unholy
silence a week after over 500 people were
killed and 10 villages razed in Agatu area of
the state.’’

Wondering why the Federal Government has
not made public the Investigative Panel
report it set up, the legislators lamented, ‘’it’s
disturbing that every planting season is
heralded by serial attacks by these Fulani
herdsmen. They also return during the
harvesting season.”

They wondered where the herdsmen get their
sophisticated weapons and ammunitions
from and why it is taking the government so
long to bring to justice those behind the
genocide since no herdsman has been
arrested.

They warned that they may be faced with no
other option than to mobilise their people
against the herdsmen in the absence of
protection from government.
We’re being pushed to embrace self-defence
“If the Federal government fails to end this
regime of impunity and senseless killings, we
will not hesitate to mobilise our people and
defend ourselves in whatever way we can.
We can no longer continue to remain sedate
while the Fulani herdsmen desecrate our
land.

“We want to bring to the notice of Mr.
President, the Federal Government and
indeed the whole world that not less than
eight local government areas including Agatu,
Buruku, Guma, Gwer-west, Logo, Kwande,
Gwer- East and Katsina- Ala and Otukpo
have been under perennial heavy attacks
from the Fulani herdsmen since 2013.
“The incessant attacks by these Fulani
herdsmen have resulted in the death of
thousands of Benue people. Since the
beginning of this year, not less than 1000
people have been killed and property worth
millions of naira destroyed by these ravaging
Fulani herdsmen.

“It is despicable and unacceptable that
despite the outcry that trailed the killings and
sacking of Agatu communities by the Fulani
militia, the marauders have continued
unabated laying siege to other local
governments and killing more people. The
visit of the Inspector General of Police, Mr.
Solomon Arase and his unsympathetic
statement that the number of those killed
was blown out of proportion expectedly
encouraged the herdsmen who have
intensified their killing bazaar in the state.
Two days ago, they sacked over 25 villages
in Logo Local Government Area of the state,
killing many. The attackers also rendered
close to 3,000 homeless after several houses
and huts were razed in the affected villages.

‘’The herdsmen have taken over the affected
villages that include Ukemberegya, Bwarer,
Mbawar, Gov and Gambe Tiev communities.
They are presently occupying Abiam Koya,
Iordye, Nyakoo and Mkpikpa. Others are
Afom, Uzaagir, Ugbende Mue, Dam, Shaausu,
Ukume, Chenbe, Anwen, Sebungen Ubosha,
Chia, Asemngoroko and Inderkar.

“Two days ago, they attacked some
communities of Mbaya, Mbaapen and Binev
in Buruku Local Government and killed seven
people, destroyed farmlands and many
homes. In Kwande Local Government, they
have attacked seven Council Wards including
Moon, Yaar, Mbadura, Mbakyior, Live I, Live
II and Mener.

“The most affected Council Ward is Moon,
where the entire community has been sacked
and its inhabitants are now refugees in Jato-
Aka and Adikpo. More than 150 people have
been killed and about 300 homes destroyed.
These herdsmen do not spare anyone.

“The Benue state Governor, Dr. Samuel
Ortom, himself has lost over 50 hectares of
paddy farm to the attackers since coming
into office. A few days ago, some policemen
were also reportedly hacked to death in the
state by these marauders. This is in spite of
the fact that Governor Ortom, on taking over
last year, had gone to great length to
negotiate peace moves with the herdsmen.
Apparently, the more the herdsmen are
appeased, the more flagrant and audacious
they carry on with their activities.

“There is a grave danger ahead because if
the Federal Government continue to shy
away from taking pragmatic actions to end
this carnage and genocide against our
people; if the Federal Government fails to
end this regime of impunity and senseless
killings, we will not hesitate to mobilise our
people and defend ourselves in whatever way
we can.

‘’We can no longer continue to remain docile
and sedate, while the Fulani herdsmen
desecrate our land, kill our men, women and
children; rape our women, destroy our farms
and raze our houses.

“We urge the security agencies to stop the
attacks, killings and wanton destruction of
property by the Fulani militia. They should
arrest, disarm, prosecute and jail the foot
soldiers and their sponsors. We also call on
the Nigerian Immigration Service to be alive
to its responsibilities in identifying and
expelling foreign nationals who constitute
security risks to the country”.

Need for joint security patrol
On his part, Okwu described the killings that
had made eight Agatu communities to seek
refuge in neighbouring communities of Apa
and Otukpo as planned and coordinated,
lamenting that after killing the people, the
herdsmen have taken over the areas roaming
about with their cows.

The lawmaker who was in company of
former Senate President, David Mark, to
inspect the level of destruction in the eight
communities, said: “What happened in Agatu
require more than sending relief materials...

The Federal Government should send patrol
teams to the communities in order to allow
the displaced people to return to their
houses. A joint patrol team comprising the
police, the army and the Air Force ought to
be on the roads there, then it will give
confidence to the people living there and
take away the Fulani herdsmen. The Fulani
herdsmen had after destroying the houses,
razed everything down. They are now going
out to destroy farm produce knowing full
well that the Agatu people are predominantly
farmers.”