Agatu Massacre: Nigeria deploys troops; to ban cattle from villages, cities

People protest killings in Agatu
People protest killings in Agatu

The Nigerian government says it is preparing a legislation to prohibit pastoralists from allowing their cattle roam in villages and cities, following the massacre of hundreds in a farming community in Benue State by armed herdsmen.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said Thursday that the government was working on measures to stop the invasion of communities by herdsmen.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr. Ogbeh said that invasion and massacre of the indigenes by herdsmen was no longer acceptable to the government.

He said that a formation of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the communities to restore peace.

“Yesterday, I spoke with the Ministers of Defence and Interior and they assured me that they have deployed a military formation in Enugu to move in and restore peace in Agatu.

“Today, I will also be speaking with Mr President about this issue to ensure that the problem is solved once and for all,” he said.

The minister gave assurance that government was taking lasting steps to prevent cattle from grazing into peoples’ communities and farmlands.

He said that most of the rampaging herdsmen were from some neighbouring countries.

“We are producing massive hectares of grasses for the consumption of cattle; we have received these grasses from Brazil and we are growing them in massive quantities.

“Cattle herdsmen want grasses for their cattle; such grass is what we are growing in large quantities and, within the next three months, some of these will be ready.

“Most of these men are not Nigerians; they come in from places like Chad.

“Recently, I was in Berlin and I met the Minister of Agriculture from Congo, who complained to me that some Chadian herdsmen also invade some communities in Congo to commit similar havocs.’’

He added that the government was in the process of enacting a legislation that would control cattle grazing in unauthorised areas.

“We are also sending a bill to the National Assembly to legislate that cattle should no longer roam in our cities and villages.

“We will equally raise the issue at the level of the African Union, to compel member-countries to take steps to prevent their herdsmen from grazing into neighbouring countries.

“It will be a major international crises if we do not stop it now,’’ Mr. Ogbeh said. (NAN).

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  • emmanuel

    Nigeria is sure a Banana Republic. If this Fulani scoundrel clutching AK47 were from the South, he would and been traced by now, arrested and transfered to Abuja.
    Nigeria would split someday, because we cannot continue to leave with lawless people.
    Meanwhile, i wish to thank David Mark for refusing to do nothing about Animal Grazing as Senate President on the Blood of his people. Why is he now worried about his Idoma people?

  • Excisionist

    ” He said that a formation of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the communities to restore peace. ”

    Which communities are you referring to Mr Audu Ogbe. The Fulani herdsmen are terrorizing Nigerians everywhere, as far south as Rivers, Delta, Imo and Bayelsa states. Which communities Mr Ogbe.

    The real solution is to form vigilante groups, bond together and slaughter all the cows in all those political zones. When there are no cows, there will be no herdsmen and no further discussion on grazing areas.

  • Kaizen

    So since these murderous FULANI RETARDS can not find grass for their cattle , HUMAN BLOOD AND FLESH IS NOW THEIR NEW GRASS.

    • Olusegun Adekoya

      I wonder o…it is well

    • emmanuel

      …an women abuna too. They also feed the cattles with the Naira they loot during robberies at night across the country.
      Abi you nor see the photo of one in broad day light clutching AK47 whilst grazing? Does that not suggest that we are in a Banana Republic.

  • emailofemi

    Massacre of hundreds in a farming community in Benue State by armed herdsmen?. Hundreds? …it’s high time the three major tribes went their separate ways.

    • Segun

      This has nothing to do with three tribes. It is the Fulani who are not even one of the 3 tribes that is causing all the mayhem.By the way there are 250 tribes in Nigeria

      • emmanuel

        what is your position and what are the Yorubas saying? Can the Yorubas not survive on their own, must we continue to leave together?
        So many countries in the World has splitted in the last thirty years.
        We are tire of those who do not want progress!
        The change now managed by one of their own for Nigerians is at best like one who entered ritual murderers Danfo. If na one-chane, dem go at least drop victims after they collect money and Phones. But dis one pass one-chance.

        • POPPINS

          “If na one-chane, dem go at least drop victims after they collect money and Phones. But dis one pass one-chance.” lol

  • ukoette ibekwe

    Mr. Ogbeh said that the herdsmen are from neighboring countries.
    That is good news because the victims and the communities ravaged by these murders can now take up arms and fight for their survival.
    But then Mr. Ogbeh’s assertion is alarming because it shows that the Nigerian armed forces do not care about protecting the lives of Nigerians and the commander in chief does not care either. How can the Nigerian armed forces look the other way while foreigners wage wars against Nigerians. The Nigerian army has shown a penchant for torturing, maiming, and killing Nigerians without provocation.
    Why do foreigners invade Nigeria with impunity to the point that Nigerians are slaughtered in their communities while the army dies nothing and the commander in chief is reluctant to command his men to protect the citizenry.

    • AFRICANER

      The kicker is Buhari is rushing to provide “massive” hectares of grass for criminal, murdering, masquerading illegal invader herds men from Chad!

      Goons!

    • emmanuel

      It is on record that Nigeria Fulanis have more regards for their ethnic men from Niger, Chad, Mali, Cameroun and Senegal than any non-Fulani Nigerian and they also prefer to give them benefit of first refusal for all opportunities in the country to them before all other Nigeria.
      That is the reason we will never have viable Population Census or elections.
      Nigeria is a cursed nation that must be dismantled.
      just raised a finger against the animals and you see how the Police DPOs and Military Commanders in such communities maltreat the indegenous people.
      I urge the Igbos to step up with their peaceful agitation, the World has noticed them already and the fever is catching up fast.

    • Okafor

      Is it ECOWAS treaty that brought these foreigners to invade our land and kill our people? Who employed them? Nigerian cattle owners employed them. Who arms them? Nigerian cattle owners. If these Chadians don’t obey our laws then they should be deported and be replaced by Nigerians e g Yellow the abductor/kidnapper.

      • emmanuel

        if na yellow, then we have less problem, it would only be jihad and abduction of Southern women , because dem don chop all their virgins finish and our own remain (meanwhile it is known that they are lazy at women and cannot cope with Ladies that are experienced and can subject them to real work). Which do you prefer?

      • john Ogwuche

        Okafor, I can authoritatively tell you that the problems of these cattle hustlers are caused by our politicians and retired military generals. Most of them own these cattle. I traveled home last year and I saw some cows grazing in my village, upon inquiry I was told they belong to so and so politician. I believe it is one of the major reasons why these crisis keeps reoccurring and these politicians generals keep mute. But the God of vengeance will visit all of them soon.

        • Bigzy

          Buhari and his Fulani kinsmen are to blame. Your smoke screen is not going to work.

          • john Ogwuche

            IT’S LIKE YOUR HATE FOR BUHARI IS BECAUSE OF HIS DISDAIN FOR ILLEGAL AND FRAUDULENT BUSINESS MEN/WOMEN. CONTRACTORS WHO COLLECT MONEY AND NEVER MOBILIZE TO SITE. ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

          • Bigzy

            Why don’t you go to hell Fulani slave. Buhari is himself monumentally corrupt and in addition to this, he is a Jihadist and a bigot, a bit like Tatawa Balewa. Don’t tell me you have not heard him on video spouting shit.

          • john Ogwuche

            why not come out with your real identity if you are not corrupt. What ever you refused to do right is corruption. So tell me are you free? Is this name you displayed on the internet real? Don’t you know this is already sending you to Hell fire? Common, wake up and smell the coffin. Only God knows the numbers of evil you have committed. I do not know your religion because of your ill – gotten and corrupt name. If you think somebody is not doing right, it is your duty to pray for such person. I pray that integrity will always be your watch word. Amen.

          • Bigzy

            Again your folly is clear for all to see. If I was corrupt why would a moniker protect me? You wrongly assume that a user name denotes something other than an id for a particular purpose. Is it the “Big” or the “zy” that his rattling your cage? You had better get back to your basketball hobbledehoy. Reasoning is a serious business, better left to the matured.

  • ed

    The love of country is hard for Nigerian to display in the presence of calamities unaddressed by the President.
    Over three hundred Nigerian were killed. Their farms and homes are currently under Islamic Fulani herdsmen terrorist control in the last week in the middle belt.
    President Buhari pretend as if he’s elected to impose sharia rules and transfer Nigeria to Fulani / Boko Haram colony.
    Poor and failing power supply is a direct result of a government that lost focus on the solution to Nigeria problem.
    To solve a problem you must first understand the source of the problem.
    Nigeria is a basket case because Nigerian are not in the business of solving Nigeria problem. We’re only interested in advancing our own personal agenda.
    President Buhari’s personal agenda is to impose Sharia rule on the nations. The other issues are secondary.
    We have the capacity to generate more than enough power for our needs.
    That can only be done with application of common sense solution. That means using what we have to get what we want.
    We have gas but we lack the flexibility to use it for our own advantage. We’re looking for solution to come from outside our country.
    The truth is that Nigerian are making things happen around the world. Corruption and backwardness of our leaders continue to make it impossible for Nigerian to use our own talent and know how’s to solve Nigeria problem.
    Why can’t Buhari shelf the idea of Sharia and stay home to address the restlessness in the Niger Delta.
    Why should a real government allow Fulani’s herdsmen to go about killing unarmed farmers and take over their property. The logic that Nigeria armed forces are in place to protect the Fulani’s interest only is troubling.
    Nigerian need to address the sources of our problem

    • AFRICANER

      Over half of Nigerian army are from Chad, or Niger and so on.

      The Hausa-Fulani are cunning people that needs to be dealt with.

  • Otile

    Where are the Yoruba traitors such as abubakar tundemash, 2 muslims who call themselves Julius, Maria, and Buhari4Ever. Let them come out and put their Islamic twist to this tragedy. Nonsense

  • Guest

    I hope they are going to plant the “grass” in their States, such as Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina,Kano and Jigawa where there is abundant land and water resources to cater for cattle grazing, which is simply a business activity??
    No land outside these states should be designated as grazing land without the consent of the local people. Where there is consent, it should be bought and paid for by those who desire to use it and not gifted to them through the use of government funds. That way, justice to consenting land owners and Nigeria as a nation is done.
    Any other way, should be resisted by all land owners.

  • Truthism

    The problem in Nigeria is that 90% of the land has no legal entity or Certificate of Occupancy. Most indigenes are traditional or custormary land owners. All land officialy belongs to the Federal Government, so technically the herdsmen are not trespassing. The problem lies with the government not formalising land ownership in a easy and transparent way. The government will not do this because of fear of losing the financial asset or power to control the displacement of people. The problem will continue and has actually led to more death than the boko haram massacres. Buhari do something now before this issue escalates.

  • Danjuma

    Yes, slaughtering all the cows at once in all the geopolitical zones affected may be the solution after all. If Nigerians think Danbazau or Buhari will help them, they are wasting their time . . .

  • Ochon

    Why should government resources be committed to building grazing reserves for herdsmen? The way the north are being treated with preference is nauseating. The last time I checked there was serious manhunt for the guys that blew oil pipeline here we are talking about hundreds of lives and properties worth millions of naira destroyed, villagers sacked from their place of abode and instead of the government hunting down the papertrators of this pogrom , government is planning to establish reserves for them. I think being law abiding in this country is a crime. what if farmers were killing people these way to get lands to farm, what if traders were sacking landlords from their homes to put up their shops? The best response by any responsible govt is to ban movement of cattles within villages and cities and force the herd men to use their resources to build grazing reserves for themselves since they are in business. If they can afford the kind of weapon they use in killing people, they should be able to afford piece of land for their business.

  • Otile

    Once in a while it is good for other tribes to suffer massacres at the hands of the Fulani so that they can get the sense of what Igbo are suffering in one Nigeria.

  • Damilola

    What is this man saying exactly? That d nomads that invaded farms in Ondo State and consequent of being reported, kidnapped one the elders in that state- Falae, who happens to spare head d legal steps against this devils, are from Chad? The ones in Oyo, Rivers, Plateau… are all foreigners? It’s apparent we have no govt, no longer. That we’re buying grasses to plant so as to feed the ranches is not just laughable, but pitied of a poopooed govt dt is failing beyond any iota dose of sane excuse or alibi

  • Udom

    Exactly how are Chadians coming into Nigeria to kill our citizens? What nation allows such unrestricted and unprotected borders? It is a shame that Nigeria continues to have porous borders despite years of carnage from terrorists’ attacks. Why have our borders remained insecured? Why are we not building walls to stop unfettered access through those borders. Why is Nigeria and the government setting up grasslands for foreign hearders to take advantage of? Someone needs to provide answers. Nigerians must feel safe in their own country. Enough killing of innocent citizens!

  • Comfortkay

    Nigeria l hail thee they are just preparing a law when the same incident has been happening for years. What a country and what kind of leaders to we have . They only know how to share money.

  • Fred

    “…Mr. Ogbeh said that invasion and massacre of the indigenes by herdsmen was no longer acceptable to the government.”
    Was it ever acceptable mister minister? What an irresponsible statement from a government official, it speaks volumes of government’s passive attitude to pressing issues. Ludicrous!

    • Umolu

      Yes,thank you Fred.First it was acceptable to government to kill people and destroy properties;that is what the statement suggests.Not it is not acceptable. What a joke!!!.The Fulani herdsmen have no ancestral land anywhere in Nigeria. They are a wondering tribe tied to no country. They do not belong to any country and do not have the knowledge of territorial boundaries. Yet the genocidal government of Mr Buhari would rather protect the mauruders rather than protect the Nigeria citizens that he sworn to oath to protect. IT IS A HIGH TIME ALL NIGERIA COMMUNITIES MADE NIGERIA UNGOVERNABLE FOR FOR THIS LAME DUCK BUHARI PRESIDENCY. A least this much he will understand as this was his own way of coming into office. He is a rogue president, promised so many things. SECURITY which is the No 1 job of any serious government, he has failed. What to do? First sack the police chief just like they do in Mexico and other senior police officers and communities can take charge of their own individual community policing. The present policing system cannot protect Nigeria. First it is short handed .Second, it is designed to protect the status quo and so it is useless. A country of almost 200 million people with a police force so meager! In the USA for example, a country of 380 million people; they have several levels of policing. The state police, the county (local government) police, city police,institutional police like the universities, federal government institutions etc. The FBI then comes in where extreme situations like what happened in Agatu recently and what happened in mile 2 in Lagos state yesterday. Finally, there must be gunshops in Nigeria for communities to buy arms and ammunition to protect themselves especially that the government has failed woefully in doing this very important job. Even in the US where there are different levels of policing there still exists thousands of licensed gunshops where sane citizens can buy protection materials. The line of thinking here is do what you think you can legally do to safe your self and family before the police get to you.

  • marc umeh

    Is this man really representing the govt ?
    This has been an ongoing problem for years.
    And they are just now preparong legislation?
    Hard to believe.

  • Shehu Monguno

    The Fulani Herdsmen are not from Nigeria? they came all the way from Chad, sacked 2000 communities in Nigeria and are holding territories right in the middle of Nigeria? Do we have a president in Nigeria