Fulani Cattle Cartel Leader Admits Reprisal Killings
By Ekani Olikita
(Makurdi) Bloodbath continues in Benue State as Fulani terrorists again killed a Police Inspector and 11 Christians in fresh attacks across 6 communities.
Well-armed Fulani Ethnic Militia from neighboring Kogi State between Friday and Tuesday, invaded 4 Agatu communities in Benue State, killing 2 persons in Okwutanobe on Friday, 1 in Okpokpolo on Saturday, 1 in Olegagbani, a Police Inspector and 4 residents in Ikpele Community on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.
Similarly, “armed Fulani terrorists killed three more unarmed citizens in Guma County. The victims were Kenneth Atsuega in Mbabai community on Monday, then Zaki Shaapera Mbatsuav and his younger brother, Terseer Mbatsuav from Mbadwen community. The Mbatsuav brothers were working in their rice farm at Gyungu-Amua village,” according to Jimin Geoffrey, Mbabai Precinct Youth Leader.
This fresh round of the ceaseless ethno-religious cleansing of Benue Christian inhabitants is coming in quick succession after the gruesome murder of 5 Christian residents in Guma County (Local Government Area) by Fulani Jihadists including a Christian farmer, Terkimbi Iorhen and his mother, Mrs Iorhen on Saturday, August 2, 2025 in the same Rice farm in Tse-Nyibiam Ngban in Nyiev Precinct where his father, Benjamin Iorhen was also killed by Fulani terrorists in May 2025.
Just a few days earlier, Fulfulde-speaking jihadists murdered another Christian Farmer, Gabriel Vendafan who was beheaded, and two other Catholic worshippers along Ukpiam-Umenger road in Mbabai Precinct on July 24 and 27 respectively.
Agatu County with the Headquarters in Obagaji is the ancestral land of the Agatu Ethnic Group, which is 99 percent Christian (mostly Catholics), located 84 km Northwest of Makurdi while Guma County with the Headquarters in Gbajimba, is chiefly dominated by the Tiv tribe, predominantly Christian (98 percent) and is located 22 km Northeast of Makurdi, the Benue State Capital.
Early Forewarning by Fulani Ethnic Group
Prior to the fresh killings in Agatu and Guma Counties, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the umbrella of Fulani groups in Nigeria, accused the people of Agatu and Guma Counties of rustling 340 of their cattle in a press release.
According to the press release, “On 19/7/2025, suspected criminals from the Eguma community in Agatu LG rustled 73 cattle belonging to Sale Abubakar (Fulani herder), and up till now, the said cattle have not been recovered.” The release gave reports of several incidents that explained the claim of 340 stolen cattle.
“This situation is also happening in some parts of Guma LG of Benue State, where a lot of cattle rustling and killing of herders were reported,” the statement read.
Benue State Government Debunks Cattle Rustling Allegation
Joseph Har, Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Security and Internal Affairs in his reaction, debunked the allegation, saying the State Government was unaware of any cattle rustling in Agatu or Guma.
“We are not aware of any cattle rustling in Agatu”
“What happened in Guma was an issue of trespassing by Fulani and their cattle on people’s farms, causing heavy destructions. Some cows were confiscated by the State Civil Protection Guards, compensations were paid to the farmers, and the cows were released to their owners”, Har said.
Residents Speak on Fresh Killing in Agatu County
Desmond Jeremiah, Agatu Youth speaking in an interview with TruthNigeria, confirmed the killing of 9 persons across four communities in Agatu County, accusing Fulani Ethnic Militia of Ethnic and religious cleansings, using trumped up charges.
“This is not the first time Fulani terrorists have used the cattle rustling allegation as a pretext to eliminate our people. It is their usual way of giving our people a bad name and then slash or shoot them to death,” Jeremiah said to TruthNigeria.
“Their main mission is Ethno-religious Cleansing and Land Grabbing. The so-called cattle rustling happened in Kogi State. Why must they come and kill our people in Benue State”, Desmond asked.
Battling Narratives: Fulani vs. Agatu
Risku Mohammed, MACBAN Chairman in Benue State, in an interview with TruthNigeria said that the killings were a punitive response to cattle rustling.
“The people of Agatu and Guma should stop cow rusting to avoid such killings, Risku told TruthNigeria in the Hausa language.
Agatu County Chairman, Melvin James Ejeh confirmed the alleged Cattle Rustling and a follow-up killing of 9 persons by armed Fulani militia, in an interview with TruthNigeria. He assured the people of Agatu that none of their land would be taken over by Fulani terrorists.
“Yes, 8 residents and a police Inspector were gruesomely murdered in Agatu between Friday and Tuesday,” he said.
“Some Fulani Leaders brought an accusation of cattle rustling by some unknown Agatu Youths from Kogi State and I swiftly set a committee to investigate the matter,” Ejeh said. The Fulani herders went ahead and killed Agatu people while the investigation was still ongoing, according to Ejeh.
“I just met with the Field Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke (the Joint Military Taskforce in charge of Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi and Taraba State), Maj. Gen Moses Gara, and the commander of 401 Special Forces Battalion, Col Bukuye. They all expressed commitment and assured me that, the remnants of armed Fulani terrorists will be dislodged and that no part of Agatu Land will be occupied by Fulani Militia”, Melvin said.
Idoma Sociocultural Group Accuses Fulani of Ethno-Religious Cleansing
Mike Magaji, National President, Youth Wing of the OchetohaK’Idoma, the umbrella of the Idoma Sociocultural groups Worldwide, refuted the claim of the Fulani Ethnic Militia of Ethnic that the cattle rustling had happened.
“Anytime they want to attack any of our communities, they will accuse the people of the community of stealing their cows without any evidence,” Magaji told TruthNigeria.
“They speak Hausa or Fulfude and chant Allahu Akbar’ while killing our people,” he continued. “They displace our people from their ancestral homes and take over our land through relentless attacks, intimidation, kidnappings and mass killings. What is this if not Ethno-Religious Cleansing and Land Grabbing?” Magaji asked.
Franc Utoo, a UK-qualified barrister and an Oklahoma-based human rights activist, tells TruthNigeria that Nigeria is becoming a Failed State due to its inability to end ongoing genocides in Benue State.
“No working government will tolerate the wanton killings and destructions that are happening in Benue State,” Utoo said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet confirmed the attacks and killings, saying Police Operatives have already been drafted to the affected communities but did not report any arrests.
Nigerian Mainstream Media Fueling Fulani Terrorism — Security Expert
Security Expert John Anthony Ikwulono tells TruthNigeria that Nigerian media themselves are failing in their duties as truthtellers.
“Despite knowing the ethnic identity, the religion and the mission of the attackers as ‘Fulani Ethnic Muslim Jihadists’ who are out to kill our people, Nigerian Mainstream Media are refusing to call a Spade a Spade, still referring to them as Unknown Gunmen, suspected Herdsmen or Herders and calling the unprovoked Genocide as Herders/Farmers Crisis,” Ikwulono, a former Chairman of Agatu County told TruthNigeria.
A TruthNigeria internet search finds that the attackers that killed the 9 persons in Agatu County were referred to as “Suspected Herdsmen” in all the national Nigerian newspapers excepting TruthNigeria that reported the Agatu murders.
Ekani Olikita is a Benue-based conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
