News Editor
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Raises alarm over plans to derail ongoing peace process
By Olu Balogun
The Agatu Youth Development Initiative (AYDI) has condemned the recent killing of a herder and cows rustling in some communities by those it described as “perpetrators of violent crimes” and enemies of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Specifically, the transparency group regretted that in the last few months, over 210 cows have been killed and taken away by criminal elements who, it clarified, are not good indigenes of Agatu, but people that are envious of the peace that has returned across Agatu land since October, last year.
In a statement on Sunday, by the. National President, Engr. Ngbede Edoh and Mrs Rose Onuminya (Woman Leader), the transparency group expressed fear that the development could erode the gains made by the existing peace building process spearheaded by the executive chairman of Agatu LGA, Hon (Amb) Melvin Ejeh.
The group recalled that, shortly after his election and subsequent inauguration in October 2024, Hon. Ejeh, who doubles as the Deputy Chairman of the Benue State Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), initiated a peace process that endured until recent events.
The peace process, the youth organisation recalled, was a culmination of several Town Hall meetings in collaboration with all stakeholders, which held within and across the boundaries of Benue State (Nasarawa, Kogi and Plateau State)
“We are constrained to issue this press statement, in light of recent events in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, whose people are known to be peace-lovers, peace-makers, as well as peace-builders
“We are deeply concerned about verified reports of fresh killings of an innocent boy, and over 210 cows by enemies of Agatu, who seek to reverse the gains our people have been enjoying from the peace strategy with Fulani leaders, which ensured that herders and settlers will respect the laws, tradition, and custom of their host communities.
“As a gesture of reciprocity, our people undertook to be good hosts, hospitable, and accommodating, in demonstration of their time-honoured nature.
“We are afraid that if nothing is done – and urgently too – Agatu land might be return to the dark days, where killings and reprisals were the order of the day.
“As is often said: ‘beneficiaries of acts of wickedness and crimes are those that originate them’. Therefore, no effort should be spared to stop evildoers from taking us back to Egypt.
“As a transparent, non-profit organisation, we make bold to state that the perpetrators of these fresh, targeted violence, do not represent Agatu, hence do not have the stainless and pure blood of Agatu running in their veins.
“Our painstaking investigations revealed that they are bad eggs , who are sponsored to truncate the peace enjoyed by the good people of Agatu since assumption of office of the chairman, Hon (Amb) Melvin Ejeh.
“They are crises merchants, who accept the least of incentives, including a mess of pottage, to main, kill, and spill innocent blood, to satisfy their paymasters.”
Nonetheless, the group thanked the Commander, and troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant security agencies, whose efforts have continued to ensure relative peace in Agatu in particular, and Benue State in general.
This is even as the AYDI tasked locals on the urgent and compelling needs to report suspicious persons and movements to relevant security and law enforcement agencies for prompt action.
Also, the youth group encouraged the LG chairman to remain focused in his determination to ensure a peaceful Agatu, as doing otherwise will be surrendering to evil, which they insist, has no place in the land.
It concluded: “We want to use this medium to commend the gallantry of the Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke and his troops, the DSS, Police, as well as other security and law enforcement agencies for the great works they have been doing to keep our people, and dear State safe.
“We urge them to sustain the momentum and the aggressive posture that have ensured the relative peace and order we have continued to witness in the past months.
In a similar vein, we call on the good people of Agatu – at home and outside – to condemn in strong terms the fresh killings of a herder and cows recorded in a villages, while encouraging our troops with kind words and messages of support and goodwill.
“This, no doubt, will boost their morale while spurring them to double down on their aggressive disposition, with a view to humbling bloodletting advocates.
“To our amiable chairman and leader, we appeal to you not to be distracted, or demoralised, in order not to hand victory to retrogressive elements bent on deatabilising the society. Indeed, evil thrives where good men either give up efforts or do nothing at all. “
The group tasked authorities on the need to engage the youths of Agatu land in a peace-building awareness forum just as it called for rehabilitation of the youths at the forefront of the disturbing acts,noting that such had become imperative to stem the ugly development from degenerating into a precarious situation.
While commending the Fulani community in the local government for maintaining calm in the face of the provocation,the group expressed implicit confidence in the leadership of the council chairman and security agencies to go all-out in getting justice for them.
On the other hand,the youth group implored Agatu people to always report any action or actions of the Fulani herders they consider inimical to the peace of Agatu land to constituted authorities rather than take laws into their hands.
