Ceding of Agatu Territory to Fulani's,Idoma Students Release Statement .

The senate Arm of the National Association of Idoma Students Led by the National Senate President Comr Acha John Godwin Jnr Led Excos of the Senate Arm on a fact finding Mission to the Office of His Excellency Engr Benson Abounu on the 20th of January 2017 to ascertain the the true story making rounds about the Involvement of the Benue state Government and Nassarawa state government over agreements made on the 6th of January 2017 by the Sole Administrator of Agatu LGA Hon Mike Inalegwu. 


on reaching the office of His Excellency, serious questions were asked, questions ranging from 


1. If the Governor and him self had prior knowledge of the said Illegal Grazing agreement signed by Hon Inalegwu?


2.The main reason why Almakura Came to Agatu


3.If truly the State government had agreed to ceded any part of Idoma Land to the Fulani'


4. Efforts made by the Governor and him self to solve the raging Fulani herds men issue


The Deputy Governor in his own words condemned the so called agreement purportedly signed by Hon Mike Inalegwu and assured us and the entire Idoma Nation that the agreement would not stand the test of time as it had no political or legal backing from Government. On the issue of Almakura's visit to Agatu, The Deputy Governor explained that the visit was prompted due to security reports received from the army of impending migration of the Fulani herdsmen into Agatu En-route Obajana in Kogi state and the need for a temporary peaceful solution that would halt the impending provocations and eventual crisis if the Fulani crossed over by force

 Thus the need for the visit by Governor Almakura for a more peaceful solution and numerous security meetings. The security council of the state now decided to look for a temporal solution pending when the grazing Bill at the House of Assembly was passed to law. 


The Deputy Governor Explained that passage routes were granted to the herds men to pass over with their cattle en-route Kogi state were they hoped to graze their cattle there as it was clear they were no more welcomed to Agatu. The agreement also granted passage route to only Fulani Herds Men who were familiar with the people of Agatu, agreed to dis arm them selves, and of course register their names and cattle with the Agatu Local Chiefs before they were allowed to cross over. On how this would be implemented with out the Fulani's breaking the resolution of the security council, the Dept Governor assured us of heavy military and DSS operatives to make sure that the Security councils resolution was strictly adhered to.


The deputy Governor expressed happiness over the concerns of well meaning Idoma sons and daughter who have shown genuine concern over the issue and assured the Idoma Nation and the State at large the the Ortom Abounu Led government had not and can not ceded any part of its ancestral Land to foreigners. In his own words the Deputy Governor exclaimed "over my dead body will our lands be given or ceded to the fulanis... not when am still alive and the Executive  deputy Governor of the State" He wen further to Say "even the Governor is mad over this issue" the Dept Governor wondered why any body would even imagine that he or the Governor had a hand in the agreement when the agreement it self was not signed by him or the Governor" 


On efforts made by him to alleviate the sufferings of the Agatu people and stop further attacks the deputy Governor said He had fought for the agatu cause more than anybody could imagine, in the heat of the crisis, he went to Agatu 5 times, took relief materials to them personally on many occasions, had on many occasions held seminars and works shops all over Nigeria to raise awareness about the looming dangers of the Fulani Militias, he said he personally taken the issue to the presidency on many occasions. He further went on to say He and the Governor had been having sleepless nights and several security meetings like the one he just came out of before he met with us. "Why all this confusion" he Lamented... "Have we as Executives not submitted a GRAZING LAW BILL at the State House of Assembly to put a stop to all this?" He promised to address the press soon so as to explain to his beloved people the real situation of things so as to stop hearsays and rumours peddled up and down with some Opposition elements using the situation as leverage to further tarnish his Image. 


We as a student Association are dedicated to Truth, Liberty, Equity, and Nation Building, taking into consideration many facts after meeting with many other stakeholders involved in this issue we deem it necessary to 


1. CONDEMN the wanton social media attack on the Executive Deputy Governor of the State. We must take into Cognisance that he represents the interest of all Idoma Nation. Criticism is allowed but it must be constructive. The Barging on his image by some misguided youths and irrational thinking elements is rather sand, unfortunate and Appalling to behold. we condemn in totality any form of Wild accusations and Direct insults on the Number one Citizen and the Political Leader of Benue South His Excellency Engr Benson Abounu  and urge Idoma students World Wide to do the same. This Kind of Attitude does not represent 

the true meaning of what we stand for as Great Idoma Educational Elites. We stand for Courage, Honesty, Unity, Progress, Liberty, Equity and Love, And not touts, beggars, sycophants, and and tools for Election rigging and thuggery as Some perceive us to be. So we must always show that in our daily Conduct as True Sons of the Soil.

2. Condemn the non challant attitude of the BENUE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY as a whole as they have not lived up their expectations as a very vital Representative institution of the state. They have failed to pass the Grazing Law Bill submitted by the Ortom Abounu Led Executives since March 2016.. I must say it is a DISGRACE the manner at which they have negated the plights of the people of the state by failing to speedily pass that bill into Law in other to safe guard our Lands from foreign invaders... This dose not Affect only the Zone C axis of the state, it affects every were in the state, we have heard of Fulani incidents at LOGO, TARKA and a host of others... So in other words this affects us all... Take a look at Ekiti, they passed their own grazing Law bill in less than One Month, just recently a herds man was arrested, charged to court and jailed for some months for Public Grazing... So what then is Benue State House Of Assembly waiting for?


3. Call for the IMMEDIATE SACK OF HON MIKE INALEGWU THE SOLE ADMINISTRATOR OF AGATU LGA for his role in the so called signed illegal, null and void agreement he made with the Fulani herdsmen. The reason been this; Hon Mike is not a true and good leader... A good Leader can not take a decision of that magnitude with out consulting with his people, he did not involve the Elders, King, Legit youths representative, and the people of Agatu before signing that agreement, it is rather sad that as an Agatu man, he failed to understand that the so called fertile green land Land he reluctantly ceded to the Fulanis to wishfully GRAZE upon was manured by the blood and carcass of his own people that were murdered by this same Fulani herdsmen. As such his insensitivity to the plights of his people should be taken seriously as it does not tell well on the IMAGE OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT. He must be sacked immediately and investigated for allegations of collecting monetary Gifts from the the Fulani herdsmen to facilitate the Judas Iscariot Kiss of Betrayal on his own people. Failure to do this will see more Damage to the Image of the State Government and possible Massive Protest by the Idoma Students and all other Civil Organisation who share our Sentiments towards this issue...

4. Call on the EFCC, Police, and DSS to investigate  the allegations of corruption and abuse of public office on Hon Mike immediately. An issue like this must no be taken lightly. If he truly collected money from any party to facilitate the Signing of the Said Illegal Grazing Agreement, then he should be considered a threat to State Security and as such not taken lightly.

We urge all Idoma Students World wide to please maintain Law and order. Feel free to constructively share, criticize, or encourage the Government of the Day. The Agreement signed by Mike Inalegwu is Null and Void, it carries no Government stamp or approval thus has no Legal Backing... It was a sham that had been Condemed from all quarters of the State...


God Bless Idoma Students 
God Bless Benue State.
Aluta Continua.... 


Signed 

Comr Andrew A. Awulu (National Clerk NAIS)


Comr Acha John Godwin Jnr( National S.P NAIS, ASG NUBES