At least, 35 people are feared dead in seven Agatu villages, which were sacked yesterday by gunmen in a fresh attack that took the people by surprise. Some of the people from the sacked villages who spoke to our reporter yesterday at about 5.00pm put the death toll at 35, and blamed suspected cattle rearers for the killings.

The Agatu people in Benue State have come under severe attacks in recent times, just as the heavy fighting going on in the area, as at the time of sending this report, would be the third in one week alone.

At least, an estimated 200 deaths have been recorded in fightings between farmers and herders in Benue State this year alone.

Benue State’s Commissioner for Works, Mr John Ngbede, who hails from Agatu area, confirmed the latest attack, which came barely 24 hours after he addressed newsmen in Makurdi on the disturbing trend.

Mr Ngbede had appealed to security agencies last Friday to take charge, as reports reaching him revealed that unknown gunmen were advancing to invade more communities in his locality.

He told Sunday Trust yesterday that heavy fighting was going on in Agatu, just as houses were being set on fire and many were feared dead.

“It is true that Agatu is boiling at the moment. Many people are feared dead. I can’t confirm the exact number right now,” Ngbede said.

Also, member representing Agatu state constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Sule Audu, told our reporter that seven villages had been sacked, with many feared dead.

He mentioned the villages to include Ello, Okpagabi, Ogwule-Ankpa, Ogbangede, Ekwo, Enogaje and Okpanchenyi.

The lawmaker lamented that there were not enough security men on ground to counter the situation as the gunmen were having a field day and making further progress to neighbouring villages.

“As I speak to you, only few soldiers are on ground. They don’t even have mobility to match the strength of the invaders. The attackers are numerous, so many that we can’t count them. They are spread across all the communities and unleashing terror on my people without any security resistance.

“They are moving towards Oshugbudu now and I ask, what can less than 40 soldiers on ground do to stop armed invaders who may be in hundreds,” Audu queried?

However, the state Secretary of the Myetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Garus Gololo, has denied that the invaders were Fulani herders.

Gololo said that since a reconciliation committee was set up by the Ochi’ Idoma to broker peace between the herders and Agatu natives, there had never been a reason for them to fight again.

He said also: “I don’t know which people are attacking the Agatu in recent times. We don’t have any Fulani person currently residing in the area, and as I had said earlier, we need peace, so it couldn’t have been my people,” he maintained.

Contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Daniel Ezeala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the heavy fighting.

“Five Agatu villages are currently under heavy attacks. We can’t confirm the exact number of causality now. However, we are on top of the situation,” Ezeala noted.


http://sundaytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/14985-farmers-herdsmen-conflict-heavy-fighting-erupts-in-benue

Hausa/Fulani, are our problem. From southern Kaduna, Plateau State, Nasarawa(against Eggon, Tiv and Christian dominated tribes) and now against Agatu people, including Tiv in Benue state. Support sovereign national conference with "no go area" and must pass through referendum.

Goodmorning to the Agatu people. Ojukwu saw this many years ago and this led to genocide on the igbos. Even the igbos who were fleeing the north on a train were butchered in Benue. I wish the Benue people the same goodluck that I wish the Plateau people. I rest my case.

Prince 08: Goodmorning to the Agatu people. Ojukwu saw this many years ago and this led to genocide on the igbos. Even the igbos who were fleeing the north on a train were butchered in Benue. I wish the Benue people the same goodluck that I wish the Plateau people. I rest my case.

Dats not right bro... If we keep talking like dz, we re. Just gonna keep on making more enemies...
Smhw I don't see how Benue state is a northern state, benue state is just politically a northern state, but not one, geographically and mentally. Any time southerners re killed in d north ppl especially from d middlebelt aint spared. I think in dz national conference,a referendum shud be held in middlebelt states like kogi, kwara and benue...let them choose where they want to go, if kwara ppl wants to join the south/west/east/north they should be allowed, same as kogi and benue.

Prince 08: Goodmorning to the Agatu people. Ojukwu saw this many years ago and this led to genocide on the igbos. Even the igbos who were fleeing the north on a train were butchered in Benue. I wish the Benue people the same goodluck that I wish the Plateau people. I rest my case.

You are a negative influence of staccato and futuristic isms.

illitrate:

You are a negative influence of staccato and futuristic isms.

You are influencing staccato and futuristic negativism.

wat is rili d problem of dis fulani herdsmen dt they are always causin problems any wia they find themselves in .buhari shud cal his kinsmen to order

lygn19:
Dats not right bro... If we keep talking like dz, we re. Just gonna keep on making more enemies...
Smhw I don't see how Benue state is a northern state, benue state is just politically a northern state, but not one, geographically and mentally. Any time southerners re killed in d north ppl especially from d middlebelt aint spared. I think in dz national conference,a referendum shud be held in middlebelt states like kogi, kwara and benue...let them choose where they want to go, if kwara ppl wants to join the south/west/east/north they should be allowed, same as kogi and benue.

No apologies bro. Evil that men do live with them. They are reaping fruits of their heroes past.

illitrate:

You are a negative influence of staccato and futuristic isms.

Too much grammer from you Mr illiterate. Attack the issue and not the person.

There is a grand plan by d hausa/fulani to wipe out d Christian dominated MB. Dey see d MB ppl as an obstacle to their quest for power since dey are born to rule over others. It is looking like d hausa/fulani have d exclusive preserve of killing ppl.

Hausa/fulani must never be allowed to rule dis country again.

.

[quote
author=Prince 08]Goodmorning to the Agatu people. Ojukwu saw this many
years ago and this led to genocide on the igbos. Even the igbos who were
fleeing the north on a train were butchered in Benue. I wish the Benue
people the same goodluck that I wish the Plateau people. I rest my
case.[/quote]







Shut up pls. The MB ppl are our brothers and we will embrace dem shld
dey decide to join Eastern Nigeria if d country shld break. Pls rest ur case very well.

I AM COMPLETE IGBO.

Prince 08:

No apologies bro. Evil that men do live with them. They are reaping fruits of their heroes past.

And again I say shut up! We cannot keep holding grudges against these ppl because of d past. We made our mistakes too. We love d MB pls.

It is necessary in a man made nation like Nigeria that blood be offered as often as possible so that we can keep the nation "one".

Woe to all the Biafrans who are sabotaging our efforts to regain our freedom from the is death camp called Nigeria.

The Benue House of Assembly should make haste and make laws banning all the aggressors from entering their bothers.

We need to secure our bothers oooo.
We go to their place, they kill us,
they come to our place, they also kill us and somebody is calling me names for wanting Biafra?

Prince 08:

No apologies bro. Evil that men do live with them. They are reaping fruits of their heroes past.

Quit it already. Our people have long gone past our differences with the middle belt - Benue and Plateau inclusive. Besides some of their youth have apologized for and have actively sought reconciliation. You need to move on.

@topic
We (Igbos) join our brothers in Benue to strongly condemn these attacks by cattle herders. We urge the FG to send troops to protect the innocent farmers of Benue and also find permanent solution to the menace of cattle rearers, usually of fulani stock.

I ve not really been to the north, but from my experience with the ppl I ve met in d south, one thing I knw is that...
Let's get it frank, forget politics but Fulani ppl re simple people, as far as I knw a fulani man, cannot just come into a community and start killing everybody he see's, sth caused it, as far as I knw dat 2 wrongs don't make a right, all dz media propaganda's that were used to paint sm northerners black, I m beginning to doubt them, if u want to knw a true story hear it from both side's not a one sided story.
Fulani ppl(the livestock basket of the nation) pls try and make peace with(the food basket of the nation), cause I knw it wud do us more good than violence.

My middle belt people you should support the on going national conference before these people finish you. The Ibos saw you people as brothers that is why Agui Ironsi handed his security chiefs to you people but you killed him claiming that he killed Almadu Bello from Sokoto state. You
people waged war against the Ibos unjustly because of Almadu and Tafa Belewa Fulani jihadists. These people are rewarding the
middle belt with total extermination and annihilation. You made the mistake but use this opportunity to correct it before it is too late.

Prince 08: Goodmorning to the Agatu people. Ojukwu saw this many years ago and this led to genocide on the igbos. Even the igbos who were fleeing the north on a train were butchered in Benue. I wish the Benue people the same goodluck that I wish the Plateau people. I rest my case.

dummy!

The Villagers should find out from the ombatse people how to secure themselves. This is the time for David Mark and Suswam to show their worth.

Bigot, I guess you all missed the part where he said there are no Hausa-Fulani in the area. Shame on you

Mujah1deen: Bigot, I guess you all missed their part where he said there are no Hausa-Fulani in the area. Shame on you

On point.