By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The leaders of Agatu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state and the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, have resolved to put an end to the unending crisis between them promising to expose and report criminal elements threatening the peace in that part of the state.

This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of a peace dialogue held between the people of Agatu and Fulani herdsmen in Obagaji, the Agatu Local Government Headquarters.

The dialogue was put together to end the decades of crisis between the two communities which had claimed thousands of lives and properties in that part of the state.

The leadership of the MACBAN led by Ardo Mohamed Riksu pledged the commitment of Fulani herdsmen in Agatu to peaceful coexistence with the people of the LGA.

He said “we are here in furtherance of the peace efforts we have been putting in place and today it is paying off because we saw Chiefs and the Agatu Local Government Chairman all to ensure that we have permanent peace in Agatu because this is where most of us were born and we grew up here, knowing here as home and we want to be living peacefully here in Agatu LGA.”

On his part, the District Head of Agatu, Chief Benjamin Akau urged for mutual understanding between the two ethnic groups in order to ensure peace in the area.

Chief Akau commended the Agatu LGA Chairman, Marvin Ejeh for initiating the peace meeting saying “we are happy that he is doing this with the help of God and we are with him and with God on his side he will achieve the purpose.”

The Chairman of the LGA disclosed that a 14 member Committee was set up by the meeting with a mandate to consolidate the gains of the peace dialogue.

He noted that without peace there could not be progress and development in any community “that is why we have agreed that peace should reign in Agatu between the farmers and herders.

“Agatus have agreed to whole heartedly forgive and forget the past. The Fulanis have also agreed to fish out and expose any of their sons who is a criminal element in our land.

“It is also our agreement that Fulanis tender apologise to us for their wrongdoings and we also agreed to tender unreserved apologies to the Fulanis and we have decided to forgive each other.”