The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area in Benue State, Ambassador James Melvin Ejeh, has raised the alarm over what he described as the infiltration of terrorists fleeing recent military airstrikes in Sokoto State into his communities. He said the development has triggered renewed attacks in parts of Agatu.
In a statement issued in Makurdi, Ejeh said armed elements believed to have escaped after joint United States and Nigerian military strikes in Sokoto in December had moved into neighbouring areas. He said the attacks in Agatu have resulted in killings, injuries, reported cases of rape, destruction of homes and farmlands, and the displacement of residents.
The council chairman, who is also the Benue State deputy chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, described the situation as a growing humanitarian and security crisis. He announced the immediate revocation of a 2017 agreement that allowed herders access to Adepati Island for grazing, declaring it null and void, and ordered all armed herders to vacate Agatu land.
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Ejeh called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently deploy additional military and police forces to Agatu, saying existing measures were inadequate.
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