PROTESTS IN FORCE HEADQUARTERS OVER KILLINGS IN AGOJEJU- ODOH
By Ahiaba Douglas, Abuja
Some Citizens of Omala local Government Area of Kogi State under the auspices of Concerned Omala Youths, today, Stormed the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters,area 11, Garki Abuja to Protests the Killings of tens of individuals in Agojeju -Odoh one of the agrarian Community in the local Government.
The Protesters who Stormed the Luis Edet House at about 11:00 am Friday April 12,2024, were Seen with Placards with Various inscriptions, Such as, ” End Agojeju-Odoh massacre, Federal Government Come to our aid, Omala people lives matters,We can no longer go to farm, Omala is under Seige, IGP please,act now, Say no to Omala genocide and many others inscriptions to Convey their Lamentation and harrowing experience over the Savagery and dasdardly acts allegedly Committed by Fulani herdsmen penultimate night in Agojeju-Odoh.
Addressing the media during the protest at the Force Headquarters, Comrade Shehu Maji the Convener, explained that, the essence of the peaceful nonviolence Protest by the Concerned Omala Youths, was to inform the the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) in Particular and the general public over the unprovoked Killing of their kinsmen by Fulani herdsmen in Agojeju-Odoh and to also Officially submit their petition.
Comrade Shehu who described the actions of the the herdsmen as the peak of Savagery, bestiality and barbarity, Called on the Inspector General of police to as a matter of urgency, deploy mobile police personnel to the area to guarantee the safety of the people, lamenting that as he speaks the Community has already been deserted by Survivors to for fear of being the next victim of the marauding herdsmen.
While Commending the Kogi State Government for rising up to the Occasion by deploying Security agents towards bringing the hitherto tensed situation to normalcy and also unraveling the Sponsors and masterminds of the attack,he however, called for more Government attention to alleviate the humanitarian crisis Caused by the attack as a lot of persons has already been displaced.he said.
Also Speaking, the Co-convener Coalition of all the Civil Society groups in Omala local Government Area, Comr.Akumabi Ojogbane lamented the Kogi State Government lacklustre approach towards finding a lasting Solution to the unprovoked attacks on the People of Omala local Government Area, pointing out that, the recent attack on the people of Agojeju- Odoh was an act of genocide which must not be allowed to Continue.
Continuing,Akumabi elucidated further that, there was no known or traceable Provocation or misdeed from the the natives that should warrant such gory and deadly unslaught from the herdsmen.
He said it is quite unfortunate that the people of Omala local Government Area of Kogi State has been on the receiving end since the inception of the Benue -Agatu- Herdsmen Clashes, which dated back to 2013, saying that, it’s high time the Government and Security agencies particularly, the IGP Step in to put a final Stop to the abuse and Violation of the right to life of the Natives, if not they might resort to self-help. he warned.
” The people of Omala local Government are the most Peaceful people in the entire Kogi State, but the current Situation is tempting, but we don’t want to put laws into our hands, so our appeal to the Government is to tell the herders to leave our land”.
—– We seek justice for our people- Comr. Sofred
Comr. Sofred Paul said the only way to assuage the Current pain and agonizing Situation is for the Government to do justice for the deceased by bringing the Mastaminds of the Cruelty to book.
Expressing her sadness,Comr. Sofred bemoaned a Situation where the live of a beloved going about his or her Lawful Bussiness is Suddenly terminated by an uninvited Visitor, She further decried that the Presence of the Fulani herdsmen in Omala local Government Area was a threat to their existence, even as she Called for their exit.
—- Establishment of Naval Base in Bagana will help restore normalcy- Okpanachi, Usman
Mr Okpanachi Loveday and Aliyu Musa Usman who are members of the Concerned Omala Youth,in their Separate Statement opined that, the Solution to the incesant attacks on the Natives by Herders and the problem of insecurity generally in the area, is the establishment of a Naval base in Bagana.They Suggested that, a Naval out post in Bagana which is a Community in Omala local Government Area of Kogi State that bordered Benue State in the east and Nasarawa State in the North, will help ordinarily instill fears in the minds of the would be attacker.
They also pointed out that,Bagana Community needs overwhelming Military presence to rid off killer Herdsmen from the Community, since it has over the years become a save Haven or Camp for the marauding herdsmen, they said.
….. Kogi State Government not doing enough- Oleke
Corroborating the Statement earlier made by the Convener, Umar Abdulkareem Oleke one of the Protesters also alledged that,inspite several Claims by the Kogi State Government of being in Charge of the Situation,they were yet to match their words with action,Stating that, up to the moment of the Protest, no Single State Government Official has Visited Agojeju-Odoh Community to ascertain the level of destruction done to the Community, beside the Killings.