The Fulani community in Benue State, accused of
killing hundreds in Agatu in Benue State, said Thursday that the crisis started
after 10,000 of cattle belonging to its members were killed by Agatu natives.
Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani
community on Thursday, during a meeting between Agatu community, Fulani
community and Police Inspector General Solomon Arase, said criminal elements
from both sides escalated the crisis despite the quick intervention of the
governor.
He said that Fulani herdsmen were a peace-loving
people, whose main concern was the problem of cattle rustling.
Akpa Iduh, who spoke on behalf of the Agatu people,
decried the continued unprovoked attacks on his people by “Fulani mercenaries”.
Mr. Iduh, who said that the crisis started over five
decades ago, lamented that it had recently turned into a war because of the
types of weapons the herdsmen were using against them.
He alleged that the “Fulani mercenaries” were
killing both children and pregnant women on sight, adding that they were
powerless after embracing the Benue Amnesty Programme and surrendered illegal
arms to government.
“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,
said in Makurdi that the force had deployed enough policemen to end the clashes
between Agatu farmers and herdsmen in Benue.
Mr. Arase, who was on a fact-finding mission to the
state, made the assertion at a meeting between Agatu farmers and herdsmen.
He disclosed that the force had deployed additional
four units of police teams to the area to arrest the situation.
“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,” he
said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of
the 10 council wards in Agatu Local Government Area, only one ward was not
affected in the bloody clashes.
(NAN)
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