By Rachael Abujah, News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)
Undoubtedly, the Agatu crisis involving Idoma famers and Fulani herdsmen with its attendant killings and destruction of properties has become a humanitarian issue.
Statistics from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) indicate that no fewer than 300 persons have been confirmed dead in a renewed outbreak of violence in Agatu local government area of Benue state.
Properties worth millions were also said to have been destroyed, while over 10, 0000 persons have been displaced from the villages of Aila, Akwu, Enogaje, Odugbeho, Ugboju, Okokolo, Ocholonya, Adagbo among others.
Observers trace the origin of dispute to 1986 clashes over farmland owned by the Idoma people of Agatu which were rummaged and destroyed by cattle reared by the Fulani herdsmen.
They say that initial attempts made to resolve the issues were deadlocked; hence the reoccurring current attacks and the massive invasion of the local government on March 5.
Stakeholders say that the numerous victims of the crisis deserve pragmatic and concerted attention in order to alleviate their suffering.
To this end, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recently visited various Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in Benue and distributed relief materials.
UNHCR, in the visit, donated relief materials worth N21 million to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Agatu.
Ms Angele Atangana, UNHCR Country Representative, presented the items to the victims at the IDPs camp in Apa Local Government Area on Wednesday.
The Items distributed included solar lamps, Mattresses, Blankets, Cooking pots Detergents and Antiseptic Soaps values
Atangana who expressed concerns over the destruction carried out by the herdsmen also decried the deplorable condition of the women and children in the camp.
She noted that the relief materials would help alleviate sufferings of the IDPs while efforts were being made to ensure that they are eventually resettled in their homes.
"The assistance is timely and of essence due to the increased number of IDPs from other villages and their need for basic amenities.
"The items will go a long way to improve the living condition of these displaced persons.
''Majority of the people in IDPs are women and children who chose to remain in different host communities for fear of further attacks", she said
The country representative promised that UNHCR would continue to partner with Benue state to build capacity for IDP protection.
``The amount of damage done to Agatu communities is similar to what obtained in Borno and other affected states in Nigeria.
``As at now, over 2.2 million Nigerians have been displaced from their homes in villages and towns seeking refuge and protection in camps and communities.
``The Great Lakes Protocol and the Kampala Convention make it mandatory for member states to develop national legal frameworks to protect the rights of the IDPs,’’ she said.
She said that in her 20 years of working as a humanitarian, she had never seen such level of destruction before
Receiving the items, Mr Boniface Ortese, the Executive Director, SEMA, thanked UNHCR Nigeria for its continuous humanitarian assistance to IDPs across the country.
Ortese, who was represented by SEMA’s Head of Planning and Statistics, Mr Ralph Ndull assured that the state, through the agency, would ensure equitable distribution of the items
Sharing similar sentiments, Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue State appealed to the Federal Government and international organisations to assist in rebuilding parts of Agatu Local Government Area destroyed in the invasions by herdsmen.
He said that SEMA remained a dependable platform in contributing to capacity building, direct material support and other governance initiatives.
``We will reach out to the Federal Government through the Victims Support Fund and other avenues to secure assistance toward rebuilding the area,’’ he said.
The Gov. Samuel Ortom said that the government was determined to ensure that all communities destroyed by the herdsmen were rebuilt to enable refugees return home.
"We understand that the herdsmen come from Mali, Ghana, Congo, and Niger, among others and are killing us every day with impunity, but this must stop,"he said.
Ortom stressed that the state would not forget such invaluable gesture by the UNHCR while also recalling the commission role during the 2012 and 2013 floods that ravaged the state.
On his part, Bishop Michael Apochi, Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese urged the Federal Government to apply the golden rule to end the recurrence of communal clashes in communities in Agatu, Benue.
Apochi explained that the golden rule entailed the unconditional love of one’s neighbours.
The clergyman complained that the Agatu Area had witnessed deadly attacks on houses, hospitals, worship places and farmlands.
He said it had become necessary for the Federal Government to apply the golden rule to bring a lasting end to the communal clashes.
The bishop, who also serves as the Chairman, IDPs Camp Management Committee in Agatu, expressed displeasure that the attacks by herdsmen had devastated the Agatu communities.
"Life has become unbearable for our people in Agatu, who have survived these attacks, because it has come as a surprise to them all.’'
The bishop urged the Federal Government to urgently take measures to curb unprovoked attacks in rural areas.
He appreciated troops of the Nigerian Army deployed to the area and urged the government to secure the place so that the people could go back to their farms.
"Agatu communities are known for farming and fishing.
“This is the best time for them to put their farm lands to use; but, it is almost impossible because they need to be secured in order to farm.
“If these herdsmen would not allow farmers to go to farm, then the agriculture we are to fall back on, as a replacement for crude oil, cannot be successful," he said.
He added that the people of Agatu lived and cohabited with the Fulani's over the years and wondered what could have caused the crises.
A retired soldier and one of the victims, Mr. Daniel Ochefu, lamented that the situation on ground in Agatu was beyond the scope of the state and local government council, even a nation at large.
"You can see the camp for yourself. We hardly get food to eat, no water, no drugs even the accommodation in the school can hardly take a quarter of the refugees in this camp.
"Toilet facilities are not there, most of us are forced, most times, to defecate in the open despite its attendant consequences on the health of everyone.
"We want to go back to our homes, if our security is guarantee. We cannot continue to live like this, our children are no more in school and we cannot carry out our daily responsibilities to our families,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, at a recent peace meeting to brokered Mr Solomon Arase, the Inspector-General of Police, the Fulani community in Benue State, alleged that the crisis started after 10,000 cattle belonging to its members were killed by Agatu natives.
Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani community, said criminal elements from both sides escalated the crisis despite the quick intervention of the governor.
He said that Fulani herdsmen were a peace-loving people, whose main concern was the problem of cattle rustling.
Akpa Iduh, who spoke on behalf of the Agatu people, decried the continued unprovoked attacks on his people by Fulani mercenaries.
Mr. Iduh said that the crisis started over five decades ago, lamented that it had recently turned into a war because of the types of weapons the herdsmen were using against them.
``Fulani mercenaries were killing both children and pregnant women on sight, adding that they were powerless after embracing the Benue Amnesty Programme and surrendered illegal arms to government.
“The herdsmen are bent on turning our land into their grazing area, thereby rendering us homeless and without food,’’ he alleged.
Stakeholders say that the Agatu crisis should be handled with the seriousness it deserves to forestall further bloodshed and destruction of properties.(NAN)
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