The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Council of Benue State, James Melvin Ejeh, has revoked the 2017 agreement that granted herders access to Adepati Island for grazing, citing renewed violent attacks and worsening insecurity in Agatu communities.
Ejeh, in a press statement on Friday, said Agatu was experiencing a fresh wave of violent attacks allegedly carried out by armed herders who reportedly fled neighbouring areas following recent military airstrikes in the Sokoko axis.
He alleged that the attackers had infiltrated Agatu communities, killing residents, injuring many others, committing acts of sexual violence, destroying homes and farmlands, and displacing hundreds of people.
Describing the situation as a grave humanitarian and security crisis, the council chairman condemned the attacks and said the people of Agatu were being targeted on their ancestral land without provocation.
He announced the immediate revocation of the 2017 grazing agreement, declaring it “null and void,” and alleged that it was not implemented in good faith and had resulted in severe negative consequences for the local population.
Ejeh further ordered all armed herders to vacate Agatu land with immediate effect, stressing that no part of Agatu belongs to herders under any arrangement.
“I hereby announce the immediate revocation of the 2017 agreement that granted herdsmen access to Adepati Island for grazing.
“That agreement, entered into by the then administration of Agatu Local Government Council, was never carried out in good faith. It was done under the guise of promoting peaceful coexistence, but at the expense of the Agatu people,” the chairman stated.
He described Agatu as an agrarian society whose farmlands must be protected to ensure food security and safeguard livelihoods.
he chairman called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to urgently reinforce military and police presence in the area, stating that existing security arrangements were inadequate to contain the attacks.
He also appealed to the Armed Forces of Nigeria to increase troop deployment and manpower to flush out criminal elements from the council area.
He commended Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for his efforts to restore peace across the state, and praised the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other agencies for ongoing security operations in the area.
According to Ejeh, security agencies have arrested some suspects in connection with the attacks and investigations are ongoing.
He warned that anyone found aiding or abetting insecurity in Agatu would not be protected.
He said the position of the Agatu people was that no herder was welcome in the area at this time, adding that any future engagement would only follow extensive consultations with the Agatu Traditional Council and other stakeholders, and be conducted through lawful channels.
While stressing that the council was not opposed to any group on ethnic grounds, Ejeh said Agatu would not tolerate actions that threaten the lives, peace and livelihoods of its people.
Ejeh urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, and to avoid taking the law into their own hands as efforts to restore peace continue.
