The Egba community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State is seeking urgent intervention from Governor Hyacinth Alia and other stakeholders following a protracted dispute with the neighbouring Ologba community over a fish pond.
Despite decades of bloody conflict, the two communities have failed to resolve their differences, leading to recent attacks that have left several Egba residents dead or abducted.
According to Vanguard, the community leader Clement Oyaje appealed to the Governor, Speaker of the State Assembly, and the Och’Idoma to prevail on Ologba to disarm their armed youths, who allegedly killed an Egba youth, Iduh Ohili, on May 1, 2024.
Ohili was attacked while returning from Obagaji market with his wife, and his corpse was later retrieved by the Agatu Divisional Police Officer.
Oyaje listed the names of those behind the crisis and recent victims, stating that Egba people are being treated like slaves in Agatu despite being the first to settle there.
He claimed that Ologba youths have blocked the major road linking the two communities, inflicting wounds on several Egba indigenes, burning ten motorcycles, and taking 15 away.
The community leader traced the conflict to 1972 when a Makurdi Upper Area Court passed a judgement in favour of Egbas as the rightful owners of the disputed fish pond, which was not appealed till date.
“The Ologba youths who attacked and killed Ohili also inflicted wounds on several Egba indigenes and burnt ten of their motorcycles and took 15 away.
“Up till today the road is still blocked. We don’t have any link to the LG headquarters. They said anybody from Egba who attempts to cross the road will be a dead person.
“Buying and selling have collapsed, there’s nothing like buying and selling. We are inside a cage, with no movement. We cannot go to Ayila, we cannot go to Ogbaulu, we cannot go to Obagaji. We don’t even have access to our farm. As we speak, they are warming up to attack our community.”
He blamed Ologbas for masterminding the 2005 attacks that claimed 86 lives in one day.
However, a youth leader in Ologba dismissed the allegations as unfounded, stating that the Ologba people did not kill anyone on May 1, 2024, and are law-abiding citizens who would not resort to blocking public roads or taking human life.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Catherine Anene is yet to comment on the development.
