Why Fulani herdsmen attacked Agatu community in Benue
Following the recent brutal and blood chilling attacks on Agatu community in Benue state, a leader of the Fulani community in the state, on Thursday, stated that the violence started after about 10,000 cattle belonging to Fulani herdsmen were killed by Agatu community members.
Ado Boderi stated this during a meeting between the Fulani community, Agatu community and the Inspector General of police, Solomon Arase.
Boderi noted that some miscreants from both communities had increased the tempo of the attack despite the early intervention of the state governor, saying that the Fulani are peaceful people who are mostly concerned by cattle rustling.
Speaking on behalf of the Agatu people, Akpa Iduh, stated that the problem began five decades ago and that it became a full blown war because of the caliber of weapon used by the Fulani herdsmen.
Iduh said Agatu children and pregnant women were being killed on sight by Fulani mercenaries. He further said his people were powerless following the submission of all their illegal arms to the government after agreeing to the Benue Amnesty Program.
“The herdsmen are bent on turning our land into their grazing area, thereby rendering us homeless and without food. Is it because we are minority and poor that they are using their numerical advantage and wealth against us?”
“We are going to remain in Agatu until the day they have succeeded in killing all of us.”
The Inspector- General of Police, Solomon Arase, on his part, stated that: “I am in Benue on the directives of Mr President on a fact- finding mission and to also see if there is a way to resolve the crisis. We have enough security officers to end the ongoing crisis between farmers and herdsmen in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue.”
“We have also deployed additional four units of police teams in the area to arrest the situation. There is no way we can all live together without having disagreements with one another at some point; it is the way we manage the disagreements that matters.”
“Both the farmers and herdsmen must learn to cohabit with one another as a nation for the peace and progress of our people.”
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