Map of Benue State
By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
There is serious controversy and tension between the people of Egba and Ologba communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State which in the recent time bothered majorly on the murder of a youth from Egba community.
The two communities have been into an unpleasant relationship over a fish pond which usually leads to crisis between the communities for several decades.
What actually triggered crisis this time was the alleged cold blooded murder of an Egba youth, Ohili Iduh Angela, allegedly by Ologba youths when he was returning from Obagaji market with his wife on May 1, 2024.
Angered by this development, the Egba community has called on the State Governor Hyacinth Alia to come to their aid and free them from constant molestation and killing of their sons and daughters by their Ologba neighbour.
The Egba people equally called on the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Aondona Dajoh, the Och’Idoma, Agaba-Idu, John Obagaji Odogbo and other prominent citizens of good will to prevail on Ologba people to remove all wooden blocks and disarm their armed youths allegedly stationed at the major road linking the two communities.
The community also alleged that the Ologba people have blocked the access road and that has prevented Egba people access to social and business activities with their neighbours, particularly Obagaji, the local government headquarters.
Addressing newsmen in Makurdi on Sunday, a community leader from Egba, Mr. Clement Oyaje, said the Ologba youths who attacked and killed Ohili also inflicted wounds on several Egba indigenes and burnt 10 of their motorcycles and took 15 away.
The community leader explained that Ohili and others were being escorted by an army lieutenant from Obagaji at the behest of the local government caretaker chairman, Hon. Yakubu Ochepo before he was killed.
Oyaje told journalists that at the point of crossing Ohili and the others at the wooden barriers, Ologba youths who were allegedly armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons intercepted the process and started manhandling Ohili and macheted him to death while others including Ochefije Ochokwunu, Adoga Ankeli and Adija Ibrahim among others were seriously injured
He wondered why the dastardly act took place in the presence of the military officer unhindered.
Oyaje named those who allegedly spearheaded the crisis as Baba Ojepa, Boniface Baba Ojepa, Amos Odoba, Bawa Alilu, Ogboche Onehi, Haruna Audu Olotu, Haruna Saleh Olotu, Adah Ocholeche Adoga, Inalegwu Nathaniel Igote and Oche Shuaibu.
He informed that the Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Agatu Local Government Area had to personally intervene before the corpse of Angela which was earlier taken to Obagaji by the military was moved to Egba for burial.
He noted that “We are being treated like slaves in Agatu even though we are the first to settle there. They said they will continue to kill us until we are completely exterminated.
“Up till today, the road is still blocked. We don’t have any link to the local government headquarters. They said anybody from Egba that attempts to cross the road will be a dead person.
According to him, buying and selling have collapsed as there is nothing like buying and selling.
” We’re inside a cage, no movement. We cannot go to Ayila, we cannot go to Ogbaulu, we cannot go to Obagaji.
“We are inside a cage. Even farm, we don’t even have access to our farm. As we speak, they are warming up to attack our community.”
Oyaje traced the conflict between Egba and Ologba to 1972 when a Makurdi Upper Area Court sitting in Otukpo, passed judgement in favour of Egba as the rightful owners of the disputed fish pond.
The judgment, he said was not appealed.
“The court passed judgement in favour of Egba and fixed the boundary between Egba and Ologba at Idogo stream and said any economic tree that falls at Idogo East belongs to Egba and anyone that falls at Idogo West belongs to Ologba. The Ologba people did not appeal the judgment,” he said.
Even though there was no appeal against the 1972 judgement, Oyaje said the Ologba people, however, approached the Apa/Agatu traditional council, Idoma Area Traditional Council and the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs for them to stand down the judgment of the court but to no avail.
He accused Ologba people of masterminding militia killings in Egba, particularly the 2015 killings which claimed the life of 86 Egba people in one day.
But a community member from Ologba, who chose to speak with NATIONAL ACCORD on anonymous condition, described the allegation by the community leaders of Egba community as lies.
The informant insisted that the Ologba people did not kill anyone on May I, 2024 as alleged, saying the Ologba people are law abiding and would never take laws into their hands.
