Breaking: Why we attacked Agatu – Fulani herdsmen

A clearer picture of why Fulani herdsmen invaded Agatu local government area of Benue state emerged, Friday, at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Inspector General Of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, when the leader of the herdsmen in the besieged community, Ardo Boderi, claimed that over 10,000 cattle were allegedly killed by people of the area. The meeting held in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, had in attendance top Benue State government functionaries, chiefs and stakeholders from Agatu and Fulani leaders in both Benue and Nasarawa state and was presided over by the IGP. Fulani herdsmen Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani community insisted that the act sparked off the crisis but decried the role being played by criminal elements from both sides which he claimed escalated the crisis. On his part, Akpa Iduh who spoke on behalf of the Agatu people, said the Fulani were bent on taking over Agatu land hence their resort to recruiting mercenaries to wipe out his people. He lamented that the crisis had escalated to a war situation where women, children and the elderly were killed indiscriminately by the invaders and urged the authorities to stop the carnage in Agatu land. Details later.