“I’ve relocated from Okpomaju to Otukpo town and am currently living with my father-in-law. I wouldn’t normally stay with him, but the terrorists have driven us out. If I were to stay and rebuild my house, they would surely return and kill us.”
In early 2025, a renewed peace initiative was launched in Benue State, aiming to resolve the long-standing conflict between the Agatu communities and Fulani herdsmen. This effort, spearheaded by Agatu Local Government Chairman James Melvin Ejeh under the directive of Governor Hyacinth Alia, sought to mend the fractured relationship between the two groups.
However, instead of ushering in the anticipated harmony, the accord’s collapse has intensified fears of occupation and displacement among the Agatu people.
In January 2025, leaders from both Agatu and the Fulani herdsmen convened in Obagaji, the headquarters of Agatu Local Government Area, to engage in dialogue aimed at ending decades of hostilities.
The meeting concluded with both parties pledging to expose and report criminal elements threatening peace in the area.
The Fulani representatives expressed their commitment to peaceful coexistence, emphasizing their deep-rooted ties to the region. District Head of Agatu, Chief Benjamin Akau, lauded the initiative, highlighting the community’s collective desire for lasting peace.
Despite the optimistic overtures, skepticism loomed among the local populace. Residents like John Olotu and Echewija Ochohepo voiced doubts about the Fulani herdsmen’s sincerity, citing previous peace agreements that were swiftly violated. Ochohepo noted, “As long as the herdsmen are not mandated to come along with their wives as one of the conditions for their return to Agatu, the agreement won’t last long.”
The apprehensions of the Agatu people were soon validated. Reports emerged of Fulani herdsmen disregarding the agreed-upon conditions for resettlement, which included unarmed return and designated grazing areas.
Instead, they began occupying villages without restraint, turning once-thriving communities into ghost towns. Villages such as Odugbo and Edikwu witnessed herdsmen operating in shifts—some grazing cattle by night, others patrolling by day—rendering farming impossible and instilling a pervasive sense of fear among residents.
Chairman Ejeh publicly denied allegations of inviting Fulani herdsmen to graze freely in Agatu, reaffirming his commitment to maintaining peace and security.
During a visit to the Agatu Development Association in Makurdi, he emphasized that no agreement permitted the occupation of any Agatu community by herdsmen.
Ejeh highlighted his administration’s efforts in arresting both criminal herdsmen and other perpetrators of violence, underscoring a dedication to restoring peace.
Despite these assurances, the reality on the ground painted a different picture. The Anti-Open Grazing Law, once a protective measure for Benue communities, appeared to have been sidelined, allowing for unchecked encroachment.
The government’s perceived silence and inaction were interpreted by many as complicity in the gradual displacement of the Agatu people.
Political representatives, notably Ojotu Ojema, were conspicuously silent, failing to address the escalating crisis and leaving their constituents feeling abandoned.
The resurgence of violence led to a significant humanitarian crisis.
In February 2025 alone, Fulani militias killed more than ten people across various counties, displacing nearly 20,000 residents who were forced to flee their ancestral homes.
A deadly attack on February 5 left five hunters dead after Fulani militias invaded Okpomaju community in Otukpo County. This came just days after similar assaults in Gwer West County, leaving a trail of death and destruction.
The relentless attacks forced thousands to flee. In an interview, Samson Agaba, a 47-year-old farmer from Okpomaju, shared his harrowing ordeal:
“I’ve relocated from Okpomaju to Otukpo town and am currently living with my father-in-law. I wouldn’t normally stay with him, but the terrorists have driven us out. If I were to stay and rebuild my house, they would surely return and kill us.”
The crisis severely impacted agriculture, the mainstay of the Agatu economy. Farmers reported that Fulani cattle overran their farmlands, destroying crops and threatening food security.
Friday Alhassan, a 29-year-old farmer and leader of the Agatu Community Development Association, expressed his frustration:
“The peace meeting called by the council chairman between the Fulani and Agatu traditional chiefs was supposed to bring peace, but the Fulani elders who attended apologized without consulting widely with the youths.”
He criticized the Chairman of Agatu County, Melvin Ejeh, for initiating the peace accord without establishing a monitoring committee to oversee the movements of Fulani herders.
Traditional and local government leaders voiced their concerns over the escalating situation.
The traditional ruler of Agatu land, HRH Chief Godwin Ngbede Onah, decried the continuous atrocities being meted on his people by the herdsmen, reiterating his appeal to the security agencies to end the unprovoked attacks and killings.
He warned of impending hunger and hardship due to the displacement of farmers and the abandonment of farmlands.
Similarly, Hon. Yakubu Ochohepo Pencil, condemned the continuous atrocities of the herdsmen, questioning why the people of Apa and Agatu must be killed by foreign and local invaders. He called for a massive deployment of the military to crisis-ravaged areas to bring a final end to the ongoing genocide.
