Metro

How death of cows sparked killings in Agatu

Published

8 years ago

March 4, 2016

The death of several cows owned by Fulani herdsmen may have sparked the bloody clashes that erupted in Agatu, Benue State in which several people were killed, and many houses burnt

The herdsmen at a peace meeting on Friday accused Agatu natives of killing about 10,000 cattle belonging to the Fulani community in Benue State.

But Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani community, said criminal elements from both sides escalated the crisis.

The meeting was held between Agatu community, Fulani community and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase,
Boderi said that Fulani herdsmen were a peace-loving people, whose main concern was the problem of cattle rustling.

But on his part, Akpa Iduh, who spoke on behalf of the Agatu people, lamented that there had been several unprovoked attacks on his people by “Fulani mercenaries”.

He said that the crisis started over five decades ago, and 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 surrendering 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.

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