Aftermath of farmers/herders crisis: Echoes of anguish from Agatu

Residents of communities displaced from their homes in the wake of the crisis between farmers and cattle herders in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State are returning to settle down to normal life, as peace is said to be gradually prevailing. But a visit to the heartland of Agatu indicates that the peace song […]

Residents of communities displaced from their homes in the wake of the crisis between farmers and cattle herders in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State are returning to settle down to normal life, as peace is said to be gradually prevailing. But a visit to the heartland of Agatu indicates that the peace song lacks the desired lyrics

Dateline: Okokolo, June 30, 2016. With her right foot on the pedal of her newly acquired sewing machine, Mary Ochekpe beamed with a smile in spite of the scorching afternoon sun that issued its rays on her sweat-soaked face. She excitedly sang a gospel rhyme in Idoma dialect with a musical voice that could make the canary bird green with envy. Apparently oblivious of this reporter, who alighted from a motorbike and headed towards her, the tailor continued to sing while casting attention on her work without raising her face until she was jolted by the flashlight from the camera. Behind Mary, Agatha, her cousin, who was plaiting her friend’s hair, jumped up in an apparent attempt to escape the lens of the camera. But it was too late.
Mary and Agatha are residents of Okokolo, one of the villages in Agatu Local Government Area, which was devastated by the recent crisis between farmers and cattle herders. Having lost their family, home and shop in the wake of the crisis, both have now found shelter in the large dogonyaro tree in front of the charred remains of their compound. The shade of the tree also serves as an alternative ‘shop’ for their trades.
Mary, a housewife with children, who said she and her cousin had just returned from the internally displaced persons’ camp in Apa, added that they were forced to convert the tree into a ‘workshop’ following the destruction of her tailoring shop by suspected herdsmen who attacked their village on February 8, 2016.
“Apart from my shop, we lost our house and farms in the attack; hence we ran to the Odugheho Internally Displaced Persons Camp at Apa where we remained until we returned home recently. But as you can see, our house is in ruins and our lives are shattered,” Mary said as she cleared perspiration and battled to keep a straight face.
A survey of Okokolo vicinity revealed a picture reminiscent of the Bosnian war wreckage. It is said to have been the worst hit by the Agatu crisis, having recorded four consecutive attacks, according to the locals. Houses, schools and other buildings that were allegedly destroyed during the attacks still stand in ruins.
Although more than half of the population of the community who had fled to the internally displaced persons’ camps at Ugbokpo, Apa and Otukpo in the wake of the attacks, are said to have returned home, they are faced with the problem of shelter and food. While a few privileged ones have managed to re-roof their houses, others still sleep in the open at the mercy of rodents and mosquitoes.
Entonu Peter, the chairman of Okokolo Elite Forum, said more than three-quarter of the displaced has yet to return home due to the absence of food and shelter.
“Our houses and farm produce were destroyed; hence the hardship we are now facing,” Peter said, adding: “We are now living at the mercy of God and the goodwill of neighbours.”
Even as they returned to their homes, the people of Okokolo community said they were living in fear and anxiety over the possibility of fresh attacks. Such fear, according to Peter, has led to the abandonment of farming activities. “More than 1,000 hectares of farmland have been abandoned at the Fadama rice farms due to the fear of fresh attacks,” he said.
Elsewhere at Aila community, Otinu Saliu, a 25-year-old woman, re-echoed the tales of anguish from the Agatu crisis. Otinu, who is married with six children, said that, in addition to 40 bags of rice that were stored in a barn at their home, her family also lost other valuables, a situation that forced them to relocate to the Ugbokpo Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Apa Local Government Area, where they survived by the goodwill of sympathisers for two months before returning home.
“We are back because there is no place like home, but here is no longer the same. I now go to buy guinea corn on credit, which I process into kunun-tsamiya (a local drink) to sell in order to feed my family,” she said.
Sabo Elawani, 40, a revenue officer in the Agatu Local Government Council, who also returned to Aila recently, said he had taken to farming to feed his two wives and 12 children. “Following the attack we ran to Otukpo where we stayed with my in-law and managed to survive,” he said.
Farming and commercial activities are said to have been adversely affected in all the communities. Hadizatu Inuwa Mohammed is a petty trader at the Aila market, which is now a mere shadow of its former self. She said her provision shop at the market was destroyed during the attack, prompting her to now display her wares on a wooden table in the open in order to survive.
Samuel B. Adeyi, a 35-year-old motorcycle mechanic, whose workshop was destroyed during the crisis, said he had to run with his family to Apa and live with a cousin who took care of them. Adeyi said: “I managed to rebuild my workshop where I am now managing to survive with my wife and four children, but it has not been easy.”
Another trader, Halidu Saleh, whose GSM shop in Aila was destroyed during the crisis, said he lost everything, including three generating sets.
Consequently, he relocated to Otukpo with his two wives and three children, where they lived as internally displaced persons. “When I returned recently I went into my little savings to restart my business in order to survive with my family,” he said.
Also, a barber at Aila said his salon was attacked during the crisis. John Bulus said he relocated to Ugboko where he lived until a month ago when he returned to start life in Aila all over. “As you can see, I managed to revive my barbing salon, but the patronage is very low. The customer I am barbing now is the first and might be the only one to patronise me today,” he said.
The community leader of Aila, Shehu Daudu, said although many people who ran away during the crisis had returned home, a lot more were yet to do so due to the fear of the unknown. “Some refused to return because they have nowhere to stay, while those who returned are living and surviving by the grace of God,” Daudu said.
He said that following the withdrawal of soldiers in the area, they resorted to the use of vigilante and the youth to keep watch over the community. “The extent of damage in this community with a population of about 25, 000 people, is beyond imagination. About 335 houses were destroyed. The only buildings left are the ones that do not burn,” he said.
He, however, commended the Benue State government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the United Nations (UN) and pubic-spirited individuals for coming to their aid.
“The UN came with cooking pots, mattresses, toiletries and rechargeable lanterns, while the Benue State government brought 300 bundles of zinc. David Mark’s wife also came with clothes and food items,” he said.
At the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Primary School, located in the heart of Aila, a group of pupils in blue and white uniforms were sighted clearing overgrown grasses within the compound. Although it was also said to have come under attack during the crisis, it is said to be the only institution that was not razed down.
Yakubu Damian Dennis, the headmaster, said the school was initially used as a military camp before the soldiers were withdrawn.  “Our school was attacked during the crisis but not set ablaze. However, the attackers broke the school doors, vandalised furniture and carted some books,” he said.
Dennis added that the school lost 10 weeks and that the population of pupils had reduced as some parents relocated their wards to other schools in safer places for fear of the unknown.
On the way to the neighbouring village of Adagbo, some farmers, among them women and children, were seen working on their farms. Salamatu Ocho-Ehi, who was weeding her farm where she grows pepper, said her farm was adversely affected.
“I abandoned the farm and ran for safety with my husband and children during the attacks. Now that we are back, I have to replant some pepper, which I hope to harvest and sell in order to survive with my family,” Salamatu, who had a baby strapped to her back, said.
Adagbo, a sleepy community adjoining Aila, also came under attack by suspected herdsmen, and the residents, who had fled for safety, are returning to their homes.