Eight persons die in Fulani/Agatu clash in Kogi

NOT less than eight persons were killed in the renewed wave of hostilities between the Fulani and Agatu on one hand and Fulani and Omala people on the other hand recently in Kogi.

Reports from the embattled community indicated that two persons were killed some weeks ago and on May 26, the mutilated body of a man who went to his farm in the afternoon from Obakume was brought home. An eyewitness said that though he was still breathing when he was brought in, he gave up the ghost on his way to the hospital and was buried.

Another eye witnessed indicated that towards Abejukolo area mutilated bodies of a couple who went to farm were also found the same way as their first victims. He added that the body of the pregnant wife was found on the farm the next day by the vigilante group. Unfortunately three Fulani men were also killed in the bush by unknown gunmen. The incidents have raised mutual suspicion between the two warring groups.

However youths of the Omala community in anger carried the corpses of their deceased kins- men to the palace of the paramount ruler even though it is a taboo for the paramount ruler of the town Ojogba, Boniface Musa to behold a corpse. Speaking to The Guardian, the Senior Special Assistant to the Kogi State Governor for Omala Local Council, Dr. Jerome Agi, confirmed the incidents. He indicated that the paramount ruler did not even behold the corpse of his own daughter when she died. He said the youths out of anger or ignorance did not remember that taboo.

That singular traditional believe around the Ojogba Agi, drew the ire of the youths who went on rampage and attacked the palace of the Ojogba. “They broke the windows of the palace, vandalized the cars and everything.” “The next thing was the setting ablaze of an estate owned by one Alhaji Hassan Abubakar of Omala, who they have been accusing of sponsoring the assassination of the people because of cow issue.”

He said for a very long time they have been contending with the Fulani people, maiming and attacking their people, which has been an age- long problem different from the Fulani Agatu crises. He said that of Fulani/Agatu has subsided. According him, the youths went on rampage over the dastardly act as they expressed their anger.

He said the police attempted to stop the youths but could not until he came in to calm them and they listened. “I asked them to sheath their sword and send their representatives to my office to see how to harmonise them together to overcome the issue. I went to the office and I received their representatives but the youths went to the man’s house and set it ablaze.”

The senior special adviser said the youths, however, denied complicity in the burning of the house alleging that it was miscreants who have taken advantage of the situation. He said all the security operatives including the DPO, the Captain of the Army were all there.

He said they thought of how to use the youths on surveillance in the bush. The special adviser said they were on top of the situation as they have reached out to the Fulani to placate them that it was not the people of Omala that were behind the killings of their three kindred.

He said: “Right now the Fulani are also on surveillance in the bush to know who are actually those behind the killings. We are in cooperation now and everything is calm.” “We are believing God that those behind the killings would be apprehended and handed over to police.”

He listed those that have been killed to include one man at Obakume, the husband and wife and one Agatu man who ran into Fulani robbers at Ayade on the road that leads to Bassa. He said the youths accused man who deals in cows as the sponsor of the killings so they attacked and burned down his house but it was never established.

“ They held the accusation because he is keeping cows. Cows were killed and being a cow- rearer he was perceived to be in tandem with the Fulani in the reprisal attacks.” He said the entire issue is coming to light as information from the people on surveillance has identified the killers as hired Fulani merceneris from Taraba State. Agi, however, said until they are apprehended he will not be able to know where the problem was coming from.