Agatu massacre is genocide – Lawmakers

The massacre of over 500 people in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected Fulani herdsmen has continued to generate angry reactions, as the Benue State Caucus in the House of Representatives, Friday, condemned what it described as the lukewarm attitude of the Federal Government to the massacre of over 1,000 people of the state in 2016 alone, describing the killings as genocide.

The lawmakers also accused the Federal Government of not making any concrete moves to stop the killings in Agatu Local Government and other areas.

According to them, the massacre of the people of the state by Fulani herdsmen is a genocide being downplayed or being ignored until it spirals out of control.

The lawmakers also alleged that about eight local government areas of Benue State, including Agatu, Buruku, Guma, Gwer-West, Logo, Kwande, Gwer- East and Katsina- Ala, have been under recurrent heavy attacks from the Fulani herdsmen since 2013.

Read also: Buratai justifies use of force against civilians

The caucus stated this in a press briefing addressed by their leader, Hon. Orker Jev, in Abuja on Friday, lamenting that despite the outrage which the Agatu killings ought to evoke, only a few headlines and sympathetic comments from high places were recorded.

Jev, who was flanked by other members of the caucus, said it was disturbing that every planting season in Benue is heralded by serial attacks from the herdsmen, who also return during the harvesting season. He queried
the sources of the sophisticated ammunition brandished by the rampaging herdsmen, and why it is taking the government time to apprehend them.

“We condemn the belated reaction of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau (rtd) who broke their unholy silence a week after over 500 people were killed and 10 villages razed in Agatu area of the state. It is curious that up till today, the Investigative Panel purportedly instituted by the Federal Government to inquire into the attacks has not been made public or inaugurated.”

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now