Media Accounts Mischaracterize Massacre as ‘Clash Narrative’
By Ekani Olikita
(Makurdi) A predominantly Christian community in central Nigeria’s Benue State is mourning after Fulani terrorists killed its traditional ruler, his wife, son and two residents overnight.
The victims were identified as Chief Momo Alexander Awodi, the traditional monarch of Olegabulu; his wife, Abigail Awodi; their son, Boniface Ochowechi Awodi and a couple, Mr. Ochowechi Ochegwu and Mrs. Deborah Ochowechi.
Residents said the assailants struck around 8:30 p.m. on April 23, shooting the victims while they slept.
According to the Vanguard account of the incident, the murder is couched in sentences that readers might assume justified the murder as a reprisal for a previous “clash” between predominantly Christian residents of the Tiv tribe and so-called herdsmen, a Nigerian euphemism referring to majority-Muslim ethnic citizens of the Fulani ethnicity.
“A political leader from the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, linked the incident to a recent clash in Atakpa community,” according to Vanguard.
“If you recall, a few weeks ago, armed herders attacked Atakpa, the hometown of the Agatu Local Government Chairman. They returned shortly after for another attack, but the youths repelled them,” according to Vanguard.
“Thursday night, they redirected their anger to the innocent Olegabulu community, where they killed the chief, his wife, his son, and two others, bringing the death toll to five,” according to Vanguard. In Nigeria, deaths attributed to losses in so-called communal clashes are rarely prosecuted in court.
However, according to TruthNigeria interviews with residents, the death of the monarch and his family was not due to a tribal clash but to an ongoing campaign by Fulani ethnic militia to forcibly remove the indigenous occupants from Agatu Local Governance Area (County). Locals attribute the attack to a premeditated and organized massacre by armed Fulani militia, part of a pattern of atrocities plaguing Christian farming communities in Benue for 10 years.
The killings come days after Gov. Hyacinth Alia ordered security forces to dismantle armed groups and their camps across the state’s forests, following a surge in deadly raids. Despite the directive, attacks have continued.
In the past two weeks alone, heavily armed Fulani Ethnic Militia have carried out multiple assaults in nearby areas. On April 18, five Christian farmers were killed in Gwer West County (Local Government Area)
Earlier, on April 12, at least 10 Christian Worshippers were reportedly killed shortly after returning from Sunday church service in an attack on a Edikwu-Ankpali community in neighboring Apa County.
Olegabulu, a predominantly Christian farming settlement about 53 miles southwest of Makurdi, sits near several communities that residents say have been overrun by armed Fulani terrorists operating from forest encampments.
Attack May Have Been a Spillover
Residents believe the Fulani attackers did not initially target Olegabulu. Instead, they say the attackers had attempted to overrun nearby Atakpa village earlier in the day but were repelled by local volunteer guards.
Abu Ochowechi, who lost relatives in the attack told TruthNigeria the community had expected a renewed assault on Atakpa rather than their own village.
“They were Fulani militia because we heard them speaking their language. They tried to attack Atakpa again but were pushed back. On their way out, eight of them on 4 motorcycles diverted to our village. Four stayed on the roadside waiting while four went straight to the chief’s house and killed him, his wife and their son. Then they attacked my uncle’s home, shot him and his wife dead”, Abu told TruthNigeria
A community leader in Atakpa, Adanu Shaibu, confirmed that local guards had resisted an earlier incursion.
“After they failed here, we later heard gunshots from Olegabulu. That’s when we learned people had been killed, including their chief”, Adanu told TruthNigeria.
Agatu County Chairman Melvin James Ejeh also confirmed the incident in an interview with TruthNigeria, saying security personnel have been deployed and an investigation is underway.
“Yes, the attack happened, five dead and security personnel have been deployed to the community”, Melvin said
Escalating Violence
Benue State like other Middle Belt states, long has been a flashpoint for clashes between Christian farmers and well-armed Muslim Fulani Ethnic Militia.
Credit: Ikwulono photos.
The region’s vulnerability is compounded by limited security presence in remote villages, allowing attackers to strike and retreat with impunity.
John Anthony Ikwulono, former deputy chairman of Agatu County and a Security Analyst, said the latest killings reflect a troubling trend of ceaseless Fulani militia attacks on Christian Communities
“What we are seeing is a cycle of endless attacks by heavily armed Fulani militia on armless Christian communities to take over their land. The mobility of these armed groups makes it difficult for conventional security deployments to respond quickly enough”, Ikwulono told TruthNigeria.
Community in Mourning
In Olegabulu, the attack has left residents shaken and grieving, particularly over the killing of their traditional ruler, who was described as a respected community leader.
As families prepare to bury their dead, residents say they fear further attacks and are calling for more effective protection.
Ekani Olikita is a Conflict Reporter for TruthNigeria.
Clip Art 1: AI generated scene of Fulani Militia Attack on Agatu Community
Credit: AI
Clip Art 2: Google map showing Apa/Agatu border communities under constant Fulani Ethnic Militia attacks and occupation
Credit: Google map
Clip Art 3: Map of Benue State showing the 23 counties in the state.
Credit: Benue History Archive
Clip Art 4: John Anthony Ikwulono, a Security Analyst
Credit: Ikwulono photos
Clip Art 5: Melvin James Ejeh, Agatu County Chairman
Credit: Agatu County Archives
