Press Release
BARRISTER NAPOLEON OTACHE CELEBRATES EASTER WITH AGATU PEOPLE, PREACHES FORGIVENESS, PEACE, AND UNITY AMONG ALL AGATU COMMUNITIES
Sunday, 20th APRIL, 2025
The Executive Chairman-elect of Agatu Local Government Council, Barrister Napoleon Otache, celebrated Easter with the people of Agatu Local Government Area. During the Easter celebration, the Council Chairman-elect preached forgiveness as a foundation for love, peace, and unity.
FULANI PEACE AGREEMENT: RAPE AS A WEAPON OF TERROR IN APA, AS MINOR, OTHERS FALL VICTIMS
Fresh Attacks in Jato-Aka, While Alia, Ejeh, and Ochega Remain Silent
By Morgan Adikwu
A fresh wave of horror has engulfed Apa as Fulani herdsmen escalate their brutality, not just through killings and farm destruction, but through the most horrifying form of violence—rape. These atrocities, happening under the so-called peace deal brokered by Governor Hyacinth Alia, the “Ambassador of Fulani Herdsmen Resettlement in Benue,” James Melvin Ejeh, and Apa Local Government Chairman, Adah Ochega, expose the glaring failure of their leadership and betrayal of their people.
It is both amusing and pathetic that the so-called ambassador of Fulani herdsmen resettlement, who masquerades as an advocate of herdsmen occupation in Benue, has the audacity to accuse me of misleading the public. Yet, rather than addressing the undeniable realities confronting our people, he resorts to feeble defenses and outright falsehoods in an attempt to shield his benefactors.
The so-called reconciliation initiative between Fulani herdsmen and Apa/Agatu communities, championed by Agatu LGA Chairman James Melvin Ejeh under Governor Hyacinth Alia’s directive, has spectacularly failed. Instead of fostering peace, it has accelerated an outright occupation. The supposed conditions for resettlement—unarmed return, designated grazing areas, and a phased process—were disregarded from the start. Now, Apa is under siege, its villages reduced to ghost towns while the Fulani move in without restraint.
EJEH REVEALS GOVERNOR ALIA’S PLAN FOR BENUE – FULANI RECONCILIATION
*Apa Joins Agatu in Fulani Accord as Meetings Extend Statewide
*Critics Accuse Alia Administration of Exploiting Peace Initiative for Political Gains
The controversial reconciliation initiative between Benue communities and Fulani herdsmen, allegedly directed by Governor Hyacinth Alia, has taken another twist as Apa Local Government held a similar meeting with a Fulani delegation on Tuesday, 14th January 2025. This follows the earlier Agatu-Fulani accord spearheaded by Agatu Local Government Chairman, James Melvin Ejeh, who has promised to enlist the Apa Council Boss in the initiative.
Ejeh revealed that other local governments across Benue State are mandated to hold similar reconciliation meetings, describing it as a statewide directive aimed at fostering peace ahead of the next farming season. However, critics have dismissed the initiative as a self-serving political move designed to position Alia and his allies for future political benefits while ignoring the safety and well-being of affected communities.
The prioritization of reconciliation with Fulani herdsmen has sparked outrage, particularly in Zone C, where communities such as Agatu and Apa have suffered devastating attacks. Residents question why the initiative began in volatile regions instead of less contentious areas, suggesting it reflects the administration’s desperation to gain political leverage amid governance failures.
“This reconciliation is a betrayal of our people,” said a community leader in Apa who requested anonymity. “Before this crisis, what benefits did we derive from cohabiting with Fulani herdsmen? This initiative is not about peace; it’s about politics.”
Ejeh’s vocal support for the initiative has been widely condemned. His assertion that the Nigerian Constitution overrides the 2017 Anti-Open Grazing Law is seen as an attempt to justify the herdsmen’s return. Critics accuse him of undermining the law and prioritizing political alignment over safeguarding Agatu residents.
Furthermore, by encouraging Apa and other councils to join, Ejeh is seen as paving the way for eroding the Anti-Grazing Law, leaving communities vulnerable to further incursions. The exclusion of key stakeholders in the initiative has fueled suspicions that it is imposed from above without genuine community input, risking further divisions rather than fostering peace.
Governor Alia’s administration has faced backlash for its lack of a clear framework to address land scarcity, herder adherence, and balancing interests between farmers and herders. The initiative, devoid of justice and transparency, epitomizes the government’s focus on political calculations over community welfare.
“Governor Alia is using our pain as a political bargaining chip,” said a resident of Agatu. “This initiative is not about peace; it’s about power.”
The Agatu-Fulani accord and subsequent Apa meeting have exposed deep flaws in the reconciliation initiative. Without meaningful stakeholder engagement and transparent processes, it risks becoming yet another chapter in Benue’s long history of betrayal and conflict.