Peace is yet to return to communities of Agatu local government area of Benue State as suspected armed terrorist herdsmen have continued to launch attacks on inhabitants who have now deserted their communities......READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The attack has silenced all socio-economic activities with hordes of the people including men, women and children fleeing their ancestral homes in Ejima, Ogwumogbo, Ikpele, Ejimagegah, Ejima Ge-Che and Okokolo villages.
Piqued by the level of humanitarian challenge and devastation suffered from the attacks, the people have pleaded with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government to as a matter of urgency, deploy troops in the now troubled Agatu communities to enable the people return to their ancestral homes.
Leader of ‘Concerned Youths’ from Ejima and Ogwumogbo, Comrade Abel Jacob, in a widely circulated statement, drew the attention of the federal government to the serial violent herdsmen attacks that saw killing of dozens of local farmers, destruction of properties and displacement of the people and take over of their homes by the invaders.
Comrade Jacob said that “partial assessments carried out by youths of these communities after the last attack indicated that over 30 persons lost their lives, properties worth over N100 million were destroyed in a separate attacks at Ejimagegah, Ejima Ge-Che and Ogwumogbo in Agatu LGA of the state.
“The communities are calling the attention of the government, relevant security agencies, Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Police Force, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, Agatu Local Government Chairman Hon. Yakubu Ochepo, to come to their aid as the suspected terrorists herders are in control of the three communities unchallenged”.
Also, speaking in an exclusive telephone interview with New Telegraph, former deputy chairman of the the local government, Mr. John Ikwulono, also called on the federal government to send soldiers to Agatu to contain the attacks.
Mr. Ikwulono said, “indigenes of the affected communities in Agatu have deserted their homes because the herdsmen are now residing there. So what the people are asking for, is to call on the federal government to ensure that they deploy the military to the communities so that the people can come back to their ancestral homes. Once there is military stationed in Okokolo and the other deserted villages, 99 percent of this problem will be solved”.
Mr. Ikwulono who lamented the influx of armed herdsmen into Agatu, said the situation has instilled so much fear in the people.
He said relative peace has however, returned in Okokolo community but that the people are still living in fear.
According to Ikwulono, scores of local farmers have fled their homes and social activities grounded to a halt, stressing that “only the youths are there to ensure that they protect their communities so that the invaders will not come and take over the place”.
In his reaction, a member of Community Peace Observers (CPOs), CIPP, Mr. Oche Hycinth, lamented the killings in Ikpele community.
Hyacinth said, “as at yesterday (Tuesday) the people that lost their lives in that community from the record we have is around 30. Some people ran to Igala (Kogi State) and others escaped to different places so for now, we cannot ascertain for sure but we are sure many are also missing.
“But there is another one that happened yesterday’s night again. Because they attacked Ikpele and Okpokpolo and other places yesterday night throughout and we are yet to get the exact number of persons killed…CONTINUE READING>>
