At least, 36 persons have been killed and
seven villages razed in a renewed crisis
that broke out in Agatu Local
Government Area of Benue State on
Saturday. The latest crisis came barely two days
after some suspected Fulani marauders
invaded Ikpele and Okpopolo
communities in the state, killing 7
farmers and displacing over 6,000
villagers. According to a native of one of the
affected communities, who escaped the
assault, “they (Fulani herdsmen) took us
unawares this time; they invaded our
villages from Loco in Nasarawa State and
Omola Local Government Area of Kogi State. The victim further added that, “As I speak
to you, well over 36 persons must have
been killed on our own side, while many
are still missing; the situation on ground
is horrible because fighting is still going
on while women, children and the elderly are fleeing to safety.” Confirming the incident, the Benue State
Commissioner for Works and Transport,
John Ngbede, who is an indigene of the
area, said the fight was still ongoing. Ngbede said, “Heavy fighting is still going
on in Agatu. The attackers are burning
down houses, farmlands, economic trees
and many are also being killed but I
cannot confirm the number of deaths. All
I can say is that Agatu is boiling”. Also, member representing Agatu
Constituency at the Benue State House
of Assembly, Sule Audu, also confirmed
that seven villages had been razed while
many persons have also lost their lives. According to him, the villages under
siege include Ello, Okpagabi, Ogwule-
Ankpa, Ogbangede, Ekwo, Enogaje and
Okpanchenyi. The lawmaker, while
lamenting insufficient
security presence on ground in the
affected areas added that, “As I speak to
you, only few soldiers are on ground who
don’t even have mobility to match the strength of the invaders. The attackers are over 5,000 spread
across the communities and unleashing
terror on my people without resistance. “They are moving towards Oshugbudu
now and I ask, what can less than 40
soldiers on ground do to stop armed
invaders numbering up to 5,000?” ‘Count us out of attack’ In his own reaction, the state Secretary of
Myetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association
of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alh. Garus Gololo,
denied that the attackers were Fulani
herdsmen . Gololo said, “I don’t know which people
are attacking Agatu in recent times. We
don’t have any Fulani person currently
residing in the area and, as I have said
earlier, we need peace; so it couldn’t have
been my people”. The Benue State Police Public Relations
Officer, PPRO, Deputy Suprentendent,
Daniel Ezeala, also confirmed the
incident but could not ascertain the
actual figure of the casualties. “Five Agatu villages are currently under
heavy attack. We can’t confirm the exact
number of causalities or deaths for now,
but I can assure you that a combined
team of the police and army personnel
have already been drafted to the affected communities to arrest the
situation, and the situation is under
control,” the police boss added.
seven villages razed in a renewed crisis
that broke out in Agatu Local
Government Area of Benue State on
Saturday. The latest crisis came barely two days
after some suspected Fulani marauders
invaded Ikpele and Okpopolo
communities in the state, killing 7
farmers and displacing over 6,000
villagers. According to a native of one of the
affected communities, who escaped the
assault, “they (Fulani herdsmen) took us
unawares this time; they invaded our
villages from Loco in Nasarawa State and
Omola Local Government Area of Kogi State. The victim further added that, “As I speak
to you, well over 36 persons must have
been killed on our own side, while many
are still missing; the situation on ground
is horrible because fighting is still going
on while women, children and the elderly are fleeing to safety.” Confirming the incident, the Benue State
Commissioner for Works and Transport,
John Ngbede, who is an indigene of the
area, said the fight was still ongoing. Ngbede said, “Heavy fighting is still going
on in Agatu. The attackers are burning
down houses, farmlands, economic trees
and many are also being killed but I
cannot confirm the number of deaths. All
I can say is that Agatu is boiling”. Also, member representing Agatu
Constituency at the Benue State House
of Assembly, Sule Audu, also confirmed
that seven villages had been razed while
many persons have also lost their lives. According to him, the villages under
siege include Ello, Okpagabi, Ogwule-
Ankpa, Ogbangede, Ekwo, Enogaje and
Okpanchenyi. The lawmaker, while
lamenting insufficient
security presence on ground in the
affected areas added that, “As I speak to
you, only few soldiers are on ground who
don’t even have mobility to match the strength of the invaders. The attackers are over 5,000 spread
across the communities and unleashing
terror on my people without resistance. “They are moving towards Oshugbudu
now and I ask, what can less than 40
soldiers on ground do to stop armed
invaders numbering up to 5,000?” ‘Count us out of attack’ In his own reaction, the state Secretary of
Myetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association
of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alh. Garus Gololo,
denied that the attackers were Fulani
herdsmen . Gololo said, “I don’t know which people
are attacking Agatu in recent times. We
don’t have any Fulani person currently
residing in the area and, as I have said
earlier, we need peace; so it couldn’t have
been my people”. The Benue State Police Public Relations
Officer, PPRO, Deputy Suprentendent,
Daniel Ezeala, also confirmed the
incident but could not ascertain the
actual figure of the casualties. “Five Agatu villages are currently under
heavy attack. We can’t confirm the exact
number of causalities or deaths for now,
but I can assure you that a combined
team of the police and army personnel
have already been drafted to the affected communities to arrest the
situation, and the situation is under
control,” the police boss added.
No comments:
Post a Comment