The Executive Chairman of Agatu Local Government Council in Benue State, Hon. Melvin James Ejeh, has ordered the immediate vacation of all armed herders from Agatu land and announced the revocation of the 2017 grazing agreement regarding Adapati Island.
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Surge in Violence Due to Airstrikes
In a press statement issued on Friday, January 9, 2026, the Chairman described the decision as a necessary response to a “renewed wave of violent attacks” on Agatu communities.
He attributed the surge in violence to armed elements fleeing military airstrikes in the Sokoto State axis and infiltrating Benue State.
Hon. Ejeh, who also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Benue State chapter, stated that the current security situation has evolved into a grave humanitarian crisis involving the brutal killing of women and children, rape, and the displacement of hundreds of residents.
Revocation of Adapati Island Agreement
Addressing the legal framework of herder presence in the area, the Council Chairman declared the 2017 agreement that granted herdsmen access to Adapati Island for grazing as “null and void.”
“That agreement, entered into by the then Sole Administrator of Agatu Local Government Council, was never carried out in good faith,” Ejeh stated. “It was done under the guise of promoting peaceful coexistence, but at the expense of the Agatu people. The negative consequences of that action have been enormous.”
He emphasised that Agatu is an agrarian community and that farmlands must be protected to guarantee food security. Consequently, he declared that “no portion of the Agatu land belongs to herders under any guise” and that any future engagement would only occur after extensive consultation with the Agatu Traditional Council.
Fallout from Sokoto Airstrikes
The Chairman provided insight into the sudden escalation of violence, linking it to national security operations in the northwest of the country.
“Agatu Local Government Area is presently experiencing a renewed wave of violent attacks allegedly perpetrated by armed herders, which we firmly believe is a fallout of recent military airstrikes in the Sokoto State axis,” Ejeh explained. He noted that these fleeing groups have unleashed “unprecedented terror” on defenceless residents.
Call for Reinforced Security
While commending the efforts of the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and security outfits such as Operation Whirl Stroke and the DSS for their ongoing operations, Hon. Ejeh insisted that the current security arrangement is “grossly inadequate” to handle the new influx of armed groups.
He made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government and the Armed Forces of Nigeria to increase troop deployment.
“The overwhelming influx of armed herders into Agatu land in recent days necessitates… the required workforce to flush out these ragtag elements from our council area,” he said.
The Council also warned that it is taking decisive steps to dismantle criminal networks, revealing that security agencies have already arrested suspects currently under investigation. The Chairman urged residents to remain calm and vigilant while government forces intensify efforts to restore normalcy.
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