Local Army Garrison Stood Down During Attack
By Mike Odeh James and Olikita Ekani
(Makurdi) They struck on Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day, sending a message to the elected that they will neither tolerate democracy nor freedom of worship.
Independence Day fanfare turned bloody in Egwuma Community in Agatu County, as Fulani Jihadists showed impunity to the military, unleashing another round of mayhem, killing 7 civilians, including the community Monarch.
Egwuma community in Agatu County, located 67 miles southwest of Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, has come under persistent attacks by Fulani ethnic militia.
TruthNigeria had earlier reported the bloody attack on the same community of Egwuma on Sunday, July 14, 2024, resulting in the death of 12 Christian men.
TruthNigeria, Epoch Times and Catholic News Agency have tracked a steady succession of lethal attacks in the northern half of Benue State since 2021, documenting that farm families in dozens of villages are being denied permanent residence by Fulani ethnic militia. Approximately 15 villages near Egwuma, a town of 5,000, are half-empty already.
2 Soldiers, 7 Citizens Killed, Assassination of Monarch
In the latest attack, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the 64th Independence Day Anniversary, His Royal Highness Chief Ezekiel Seni Aboh was killed, along with six local citizens and 2 soldiers from the Forward Operating Base, according to Daily Trust. A soldier and several locals were also wounded.
The Forward Operating Base was set up in Egwuma this year, during which time the military disarmed the civilian defense volunteers and forced them to stand down, according to local residents speaking to TruthNigeria on background. Yet on Tuesday, the local soldiers sheltered behind their walls and did not oppose the attackers.
Roman Catholic Clergy in Makurdi interviewed by TruthNigeria say that the military units stationed across the state’s northern counties do not engage Fulani ethnic terrorists during their attacks on unarmed native residents.
Punch reported Wednesday that the attackers crossed in from neighboring Kogi State, taking the soldiers by surprise. “They came in from Kogi State, took the soldiers by surprise and began to shoot sporadically. They killed six persons, including the two soldiers, and took their guns,” according to a local eyewitness.
Citizens of Egwuma Speak Out
Speaking in an interview with TruthNigeria, a Youth Leader of the Community, Jeremiah Desmond, said the military defending the nearby forward operating base assured villagers it was safe to return to their residences on Sunday, two days before the lethal attack on Tuesday.
“The military let us down. They assured us of security and called on our people to return home on Sunday, September 29, 2024. We happily returned home on Sunday so that we could use the opportunity to celebrate our Independence Day anniversary at home.
“From 4-5 pm after praying in our various churches for peace and security of community and Nigeria generally, Fulani terrorists appeared from Akile road, going around the military base, shooting anyone on sight.”
“What is so surprising was that, as the jihadists were shooting our people, the military refused to come out from their base, maybe thinking they could be spared,” Desmond told TruthNigeria.
“But unfortunately for them, the attackers invaded the military base, killing two of them, and wounding one. They carted away 5 of their motorcycles and an unspecified number of their weapons”, Desmond said.
In his reaction to the carnage in an interview with TruthNigeria, the Agatu County Chairman, Hon. Barr Philip Ebenyakwu, condemned the attack, saying despite all efforts to end Fulani attacks on Agatu communities, the attackers have defied every solution.
“Shortly after the first two attacks on Egwuma Community, military personnel were deployed and stationed there, but the recalcitrant terrorists are still daring the military, attacking our people,” Ebenyakwu went on to say.
Also speaking with TruthNigeria in an interview, the lawmaker representing Agatu State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Godwin Abu Edoh, lamented the endless atrocities on Agatu communities by Fulani terrorists.
“There are too many attacks. These attackers cross from neighboring Kogi and Nasarawa states to unleash terror on our people. The Federal Government has the solution to the lingering insecurity in our land but is not doing anything to end it,” Edoh said.
The federal lawmaker representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, Pastor Ojotu Ojema, condemned the attack, saying “the terrorists are hellbent to take over our land, subjugate our people and impose their extreme religious ideology on them.”
“Our only sin is because our people are predominantly Christian and have refused to embrace the evil ideology of the jihadists”, Ojema said.
A former Member of the State House of Assembly representing Agatu constituency, the Hon Sule Dickeson Audu, in an interview with TruthNigeria said 9 people lost their lives in the attack, including the two soldiers, the head of Egwuma, and six villagers.
“The bandits attacked Egwuma through Akile area, [avoiding] the road where soldiers were stationed, opening fire on the villagers and later attacked the military base.
“After the attack, terrorists went back to the part of Agatu land that they are occupying: Ogwumogbo, Ejuma, Akile, Okpogbolo, Okpiye, Echije,” Audu said.
“The military assured our people, asked them to return home, and they returned on Sunday. They were attacked on Tuesday,” Audu added.
When contacted two days after the attack, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, said the Command had yet to be briefed about the attack.
The Nigerian Army has not reported the attack at the time this report was filed.
Mike Odeh James and Olikita Ekani are Conflict Reporters. They are both natives of Benue and they write for TruthNigeria.
