From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The people of Egba Community in Agatu LGA of Benue State, have sent a SAVE OUR SOUL (SOS) message to Gov. Hyacinth Alia over the continuous molestation and killing of their sons and daughters by their Ologba neighbouring community in the area.
The Community further urged the Governor to consider their plight and urgently intervene in order to free them from the frequent harassment and killing of innocent law-abiding citizens.
The Egba people are equally calling on the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, the Och’Idoma, Agaba-Idu, John Obagaji Odogbo and other public spirited individuals, to prevail on Ologba people to remove all wooden blocks and disarm their armed youths allegedly stationed at the major road connecting the two communities.
Youths from Ologba Community have allegedly barricaded all the routes linking the two communities thereby preventing Egba people from gaining access to social and business activities with their neighbours, particularly Obagaji, the local government headquarters.
Recall that Egba and Ologba people have been entangled in a grisly war over the ownership of a fish pond for several decades.
However, what triggered the above call is the cold blooded murder of an Egba youth, Ohili Iduh Angela, allegedly by Ologba youths when he was returning from Obagaji market with his wife on May 1, 2024.
Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, Benue State capital, Sunday, a community leader from Egba, Mr Clement Oyaje, said the Ologba youths who attacked and killed Ohili also inflicted wounds on several Egba indigenes and burnt ten of their motorcycles and took fifteen away.
Oyaje said Ohili and others were being escorted by an army lieutenant from Obagaji at the behest of the local government caretaker chairman, Yakubu Ochepo before he was killed.
”At the point of crossing, Ohili and the others at the wooden barriers, Ologba youths who were allegedly armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons intercepted them and launched an attack on Ohili and macheted him to death.
”Other people including Ochefije Ochokwunu, Adoga Ankeli and Adija Ibrahim were inflicted with severe injuries. This dastardly act took place in the presence of the military officer unhindered.”
“We have identified those behind the attacks and killings of our people. We know people like Baba Ojepa, Boniface Baba Ojepa, Amos Odoba, Bawa Alilu, Ogboche Onehi, Haruna Audu Olotu, Haruna Saleh Olotu, Adah Ocholeche Adoga, Inalegwu Nathaniel Igote and Oche Shuaibu are spearheading the crisis.
”The Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Agatu Local Government Area had to personally intervene before the corpse of Angela which was earlier taken to Obagaji by the military was moved to Egba for burial. We are being treated like slaves in Agatu even though we are the first to settle there. They said they will continue to kill us until we are completely exterminated.
”Up till today the road is still blocked. We don’t have any link to the local government headquarters. They said anybody from Egba that attempts to cross the road will be a dead person.
”Buying and selling have collapsed, there’s nothing like buying and selling. We’re inside a cage, no movement. We cannot go to Ayila, we cannot go to Ogbaulu, we cannot go to Obagaji.”We are inside a cage. Even on a farm, we don’t even have access to our farm. As we speak, they are warming up to attack our community.
”I can authoritatively tell you that the conflict between Egba and Ologba started in 1972 when a Makurdi Upper Area Court sitting in Otukpo, passed judgement in favour of Egba as the rightful owners of the disputed fish pond. The judgment was not appealed.
”The court passed judgement in favour of Egba and fixed the boundary between Egba and Ologba at Idogo stream and said any economic tree that falls at Idogo East belongs to Egba and anyone that falls at Idogo West belongs to Ologba. The Ologba people did not appeal the judgment,” he said.
”Even though there was no appeal against the 1972 judgement, Oyaje said the Ologba people, however, approached the Apa/Agatu traditional council, Idoma Area Traditional Council and the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for them to stand down the judgment of the court but to no avail”, he started.
He accused Ologba people of masterminding militia killings in Egba, particularly the 2015 killings which claimed the life of 86 Egba people in one day.But in swift reaction, a local in Ologba Community who did not want his name on print described the allegations by Egba people as a tissue of lies.
He said “Egba people have come again with their lies. Ologba people did not kill anyone on the 1st of May, 2024. We are law abiding people and will therefore not resort to acts of rascality by blocking public roads, not to talk of taking human life,” the local said.Efforts to confirm the incident from the Benue State Command Police Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, failed as she did not pick the calls made to her cell phone.
Daily Asset
