The framers of the Nigeria Constitution were definite in defining the roles of Government to her citizens. In their wisdom, the framers, began with the opening paragraph which outline ” The Protection of lives , property and welfare and well-being of the citizenry shall be the primary responsibility of Government of Nigeria . However, the activities of the murderous Fulani herders and their twins evil agents of insurgents have in the last decade made useless of the opening paragraph of the Constitution of the country. The people of Omala North code named Udaba Omala of kogi state have been systematically degraded by the Fulani herders. The Bandits’ pogroms started over a decade ago which has technically wiped out the aborigines out of existence in their father lands without concomitant balance of force by the Nigeria state.
These murderous beasts of humans have killed no fewer than 500 natives , burnt their houses and properties and created unmitigated humanitarian crisis in the region. The Fulani herders and their collaborators of bandits and insurgents who are smarting from the successes of their nefarious activities against the people without consequences have erected their foothold across the villages within the zone.
The tales and wailing over the pogrom on their people by these fulani herders cut across over ten villages that make up Udaba Omala area. The over ten communities affected by these killings and slaughtering spree have been on a regular basis since 2013. The people have been reduced to signpost of condolences. Those who are supposed to uphold the first paragraph of the Constitution of Nigeria looked the other way or lacked the capacity and capabilities to enforce sanity in the area. The Fulani killers have become a law to themselves, killing and maiming the inhabitants without provocation. The Fulani herders are not unknown. They lived in the forest within the villages and unleash terror on the hapless and unprotected locals.They attack their victims in broad day light with their sophisticated weapons daring who care to challenge them. The people who are mostly farmers have no wherewithal to stand their ways. The security agencies have developed lackadaisical attitude to enforce the law against them. The people became their prey. They occupied their farms and turned their villages to occupied territories.The villagers cried out with their eyes, dripping rivers of tears ,hoping for helps from their government but in these communities, government’s protection has taken a flight. They lacked capacity for self helps. They emigrated from their ancestral homes to no where in sight. Hunger and malnutrition have become their next door neighbours. Countless numbers have lost their lives and property to challenges of forced migration. Their wives and daughters have been serially raped and killed .Those who dared to return home to eke a living are being slaughtered in their homes, on their farms and on the roads while trying to escape from the murderers.
The Omala North in Omala Local Government area of kogi state with more than Twenty thousand inhabitants have almost been wiped out .
The most affected villages are Bagana , a commercial hub, Omagede, Ogba , Patanyi; Obakume, Bagaji Odo, Agojeju Odo and Ajokpachi Odo, the food basket of the Omala LGA are on the verge of extinction.
The Bandits whose terror was first carried out on the people of Bagana and it’s environs in 2013 till date have consumed over three hundred men, women and children and unquantifiable properties destroyed. With the emigration of the survivors, the herders have taken over the land. They lived in the communities with their herds and transact business unhindered. The security agencies proved to have surrendered.Soldiers and Mobile policemen drafted to safeguard the town at one point in time, equally became victims of Fulani Bandits’ killing squad. The Security Authority at best withdrew their appearances, leaving the people to the trigger and axe happy marauders. Today , the ancient city of Bagana is no more. The Houses have all been brought down .The New occupants have taken over, without the state coming to their rescue or their response not proactive enough to end the carnage. These bands of killers move around without a challenge. They have arrogated to themselves license and immunity to kill at will without provocation.
Having successfully exterminated the people and the town of Bagana, the Fulani herders went further to host their flags of occupation in the nearby villages of Agojeju Odo, Ajokpachi Odo , Bagaji Odo, Odomagu , Ajaadapa, and other villages within the corridor. Just recently, on the 24th January, 2024 the Bandits launched deadly attack on Agojeju Odo and slaughtered four persons in broad daylight in their homes. The killings continued unabated and on the 17th of February, 2024 , no fewer that 25 persons including women and children were slaughtered. Pathetic it was , when a woman, whose husband had escaped by whiskers, was trailed to her house and matchet to death with her baby clutch on her back and another on her lap. In their orgy of despicability, an 82 year old man, who just lost his wife to snake bite was pursued to his room and gun down, dismembered the body while the pigs feasted on the corpse. He was only identified by his remnant legs. Piqued by the trauma, the Community leader, retired headmaster, comrade Elias Alih Atabor, 74, could not live long to tell the story as he fell ill and died from the complications of the trauma.
Having conquered Agojeju Odo, the bandits moved to Ajokpachi Odo, a three kilometres away neighborhood, the Fulani herders again launched an attack and when the dust settled three promising youths who were on vigil in the town were matchet to death and their heads and vital parts evacuated. And just last week, the herders returned to the village and killed a youth right on his bed, cart away motorcycles, food items and other valuables as the locals scampered to safety. Today, the villages are ghost of itself as the herders have technically taken over their ancestral homes.
Although, Governor Usman Ododo responded swiftly to the challenge by physical visit to the epicenter, and reassured the survivors of government ‘s commitment to their protection and safety, the marauders have nothing to do with the assurance daring the fire power of the government.
In his bid to ameliorate the sufferings of the Internal Displaced persons, palliative materials were doled out to the people. Assurance of establishing a military and police bases in the area were announced. However , five months down the line, the security forces are yet to be seen.
To Treasure Ochemeje , a social commentator, inferred that , the Bandits attacks on the Omala North (udaba) is a deliberate and systematic effort to annex and take over the entire landscape noted for its marshy grassland , undulated topography, and availability of all season rivers , streams including river Benue. The Fulani herders and their sponsors , Miyetti Allah, whose violent ploy to take over Oganenigu and environs in Dekina Local Government area which shares topographical similarities with Omala North was rebuffed by the concerted efforts of the locals, and government’s decisive onslaught on the invaders. However, having lost their bid to occupied the area, they now intensified their annexation agenda to Omala North, which its distant location to the presence of Security Agencies provided a leeway for actualisation of their plans, by intermittently launching pogrom agenda , a key strategy to drive away the locals for their usurpation.
Ochemeje, added that, there is a hidden agenda for the activities of the Bandits in these villages than meet the eyes. He said , why suddenly the Bandits shifted their orgy of killings to the Agojeju Odo areas, the birth place of the current Chairman of Omala Transition Committee, Honourable Edibo Ameh Mark and the Ojogba of Ife , HRH Boniface Musa, also from the area, requires strict scrutiny. He said , although,with the tireless efforts of the Chairman, Edibo Mark to bring sanity to the area, it has been unsuccessful, as he lacked control and resources to mobilise balance of power to confront the killers. His appeal to the higher Authorities, even though , it received attention with assurances that the Military operation base and Police stations would be established. However, just like many political statements by the Administration without fruition, the people are earnestly waiting for the arrival of the security personnel to help them to restore order and stop unprovoked massacre of the people.
A community leader , NIFU Abukar , who narrowly cheat death last week, when the Bandits struck at his Ajokpachi Odo home, lamented at the porosity of the communities to the invaders. He said, the villages could not get assistance even after distress calls were made to other communities in other zones of LGA due to deplorable conditions of the road and it’s distance from Abejukolo, headquarters of the Council, which is the only town in the entire LGA with active Police station. He appealed to the state and federal governments to reconstruct the road and complete the abandoned Bagana Guto Bridge to help activate security alertness and movement of people and cargoes across the area.
He called on the government to hasten the deployment of the Military and police to prevent further collateral damages on the people and to prevent the invaders from complete occupation of the communities.
Abuka lamented that only last Monday, the people of Ajomachi suffered fatalities as the marauders killed over 15 persons and set ablaze properties. Although, Ajomachi is on fringes of.Agatu Local Government Area of Benue and Kogi state , the inhabitants are mostly Kith and kin of Omala North in Kogi state.
Omala North ( Udaba ) is bordered on the North by River Benue across to Nasarawa State and FCT Abuja, on the East by Benue state and lacked the presence of both the Kogi State and Federal Government.
ATABOR JULIUS, a Journalist writes from Lokoja, Kogi state capital.
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