Benue communities decry arrest of leaders over defense against killer herdsmen

Residents of Agatu Local Government Area in Benue State have expressed anger and frustration over the arrest and continued detention of two of their community leaders by the Nigerian military, even as suspected Fulani herdsmen continue to attack and kill people in the area.

The recent wave of attacks has left several communities in Agatu devastated, heightening fear and deepening the sense of abandonment among residents. Despite repeated calls for government intervention to protect lives and property, the violence has continued without response.

Speaking during a protest on Wednesday, Leonard Apia, spokesperson for the concerned citizens of Agatu, said the military arrested Abu Idakwo from Oleginaigwu community and Echoda Ajene, youth leader of Ogbangede community, in a midnight operation on April 28, 2025.

He said the men were picked up without explanation and remained missing for four days before it was discovered that they were being held at the 72 Battalion military facility in Makurdi.

Apia stated that all attempts to locate the men at police stations in Obagaji, the DSS office, and the Air Force Base in Agatu yielded no results.

He expressed dismay that while communities are under siege by herdsmen, their leaders are being targeted and criminalized for speaking out.

He said the detained leaders have not been charged with any offense and have been denied access to their families and legal representation.

According to him, the silence of the Agatu Local Government Council and the absence of any official statement have deepened the community’s suspicions about the motive behind the arrests.

Residents are demanding immediate answers from relevant authorities. They want to know who ordered the arrest of their leaders, what their alleged offenses are, why they were detained without due process, and why the council has not spoken out in their defense.

They are also calling for the immediate release of the detained leaders and a decisive security response to end the unrelenting attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the area.