By: Ariyo-Dare Atoye
@AriyoAristotle
How long can the Agatu tribe in Nigeria survive the ongoing invasion of
their lands by suspected Fulani herdsmen? The fertile fields of the Agatus
of Benue State in North Central Nigeria, are at the risk of being totally
overrun by marauders who see the lands as good for grazing for their cows.
The scale of destruction in the latest attacks is massive, as several
communities have been completely destroyed and deserted. The human
casualties are reportedly high as no fewer than 300 persons are said to
have been killed in the attacks that lasted for days according to some
eyewitnesses. Some dead bodies are still yet to be retrieved and buried.
A media intervention was coordinated by David Mark, a former President of
the Nigerian Senate to reveal to the world, the magnitude of the disaster
carried out against his people. The affected villages are in Agatu local
government, which is under Benue South Senatorial district.
There have several clashes and crises reported in these areas before now,
as the natives usually battle for the control of their farm lands during
the dry seasons, to secure them from destruction by cattle. But nothing is
near the magnitude of the latest attacks on the communities. “It is beyond
human comprehension,” says Senator David Mark, a former President of the
Nigerian Senate and the lawmaker representing the area.
Several communities have become totally inhabitable while the Fulani cows
have taken over several farms and are seen eating out crops and destroying
already cultivated heaps of land for farming. But as the media convoy
drove through the sacked villages, hordes of Fulani herdsmen and their
cattle are sighted massing away intensely.
“They usually return at night to lurk around and in some buildings still
standing,” one of the Agatu farmers said. With the exception of a few
chickens and goats wandering about aimlessly in the wasted villages, there
is no sign of human life. The people have either been killed or fled the
attacks.
In some affected communities visited which include Aila, Adagbo, Akwu,
Okokolo, Ugboju, Odugbeho & Ocholonya, all the scene of the attacks are
reminiscent of what the world sees daily in Syria and other crisis prone
regions. Some of the affected villages now bore a semblance of war-torn
environment.
“I am shocked beyond words at the extent of destruction I have seen here
in Agatu today. I didn’t believe that the level of destruction was up to
this extent. Nothing whatsoever justifies this brazen act of destruction
meted out on the people of Agatu. Whatever the reason for this, those
responsible must be caught and they must be punished,” says David Mark.
Aside the journalists, Mark was accompanied by personal staff and
political associates, including the immediate former Minister of Interior,
Abba Moro, two members of the House of Representatives, Samson Okwu and
Ezekiel Adaji representing Oju/Obi and Otukpo/Ohinmini respectively. No
fewer than ten members of the State House of Assembly were involved.
Schools, churches, small-scale cassava factories are completely razed down
by the attackers. It is a gory sight to behold. Some community leaders who
followed Senator Mark to inspect the extent of the damage, have described
the invasion of their lands as “a deliberate act of genocide,” against the
Agatu tribes.”
“What we are seeing is a pogrom against our tribe as it is now obvious
that the Fulani herdsmen want to destroy our houses, farms and take over
our lands for cattle grazing. The extermination of our ancestry home is
taking place before our eyes,” a former Councillor said.
It is however not unlikely that there will be more ferocious attacks on
Agatu lands by more herdsmen trying to escape the drought in the Northern
region of the country this year, as the Nigerian Meteorological agency has
predicted a “less-than-normal rainfall amounts as well as dry spells.”
Some adjoining communities and more especially the headquarters of the
local government, Obagaji where people usually take refuge in the past,
have also been deserted, for fear of possible attacks. Women and children
have relocated to far distance while the men are keeping vigil in some yet
to be attacked villages nearby.
But contrary to claims by a Fulani community in Benue State that over ten
thousands cows were killed by the Agatus, there is however no single sight
of a dead cow in about 10 villages visited, while hundreds of herds are
seeing wandering in farm lands. The Agatu community have also described
the incidents as unprovoked attacks.
It is a big tragedy in every sense of it and the Agatus risk total
dislocation from their lands if nothing drastic is done by the Benue State
government and the federal government. Although President Muhammadu Buhari
has ordered an investigation into the incident, but nothing concrete has
been laid out or done so far.
Beyond sending palliatives to the people, the Benue State governor, Samuel
Ortom is yet to visit the scenes of the attacks, while a delegation from
the Federal Government who recently came close to some affected
communities, has only merely scratched the surface says Moses Ngbede a
youth leader in the area.
Without a quick government intervention, the invasion of Agatu land will
be completed in no time, according to a community leader, Mr. James Audu.
The situation is deteriorating and a big humanitarian disaster is building
up in the entire local government of Agatu and beyond.
Some audacious youths in the communities have vowed to defend their home
lands against the marauders. They are also not comfortable with a few
dispatch of military men sent to the area to keep peace. The youths are
angry that the soldiers have not been able swing into action and go after
the marauders.
“We are not relying on the soldiers to defend our lands. They have refused
to fight the offending herdsmen or make any arrest. They have not been of
any help to us,” the youth vigilantes told Mark.
A military source in the area said they have not been given order to shoot
the invading herdsmen but to keep peace. Unfortunately this has not gone
down well with the people. It has further fueled some concerns among the
Agatus that some people in government are also supporting the Fulani
herdsmen.
Based on the coordinated manner of the latest attacks, the Agatus have now
suspected an expansionist agenda for both grazing and occupation purposes.
Several of the Agatu villages are overlooking a massive expanse of green
lands and a flowing river used for rice plantation.
The Fulani herdsmen are nomads and are increasingly moving down south of
Nigeria in search of grazing land for their herds, which has led to
several confrontations in many villages across most States. Benue State is
prone to attacks from the herdsmen who usually pass through the State’s
routes to graze and to mass to other locations.