Agatu Community Protest At National Assembly Over Killings [PHOTOS]

Aggrieved youths from Agatu local government area of Benue State on Wednesday embarked on a peaceful protest to the National Assembly to express their displeasure over the continued killing of their people by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Speaking with DAILYPOST, one of the aggrieved community members identified as Aliyu Okpani said, “The essence of the protest is to draw the attention of the federal government to our plight in Agatu.”
“The Fulani people have continued to kill our people even up till this morning. They have rendered over 400 people homeless and the government is silent.”

“Just two days ago, during the burial of some of the people killed by these marauders, the Fulani people invaded again, killing scores and leaving many wounded.”
The placard-wielding protesters converged at the Unity fountain from where they marched to the Police Force Headquarters, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, before getting to the National Assembly in a bid to register their plight in the hands of Fulani herdsmen.

The messages on some of the placards read, Agatu Massacre; “We want Commission of Inquiry,” “Save Agatu, preserve Idomas,” “Our Women and children are dying.”
Coordinator of the protest , Paul Edeh while speaking at the National Assembly said, “We the Agatu people are calling for a commission of inquiry into the continued killings in our community which should be headed by the Chief Justice of the Federation.”
Ede also called on the Federal Government to deploy security operatives to the borders of Agatu so as to shield the community from incessant invasion.

Addressing the crowd who were donned on red and black attire in in protest against the killings in Agatu, the Deputy Majority Leader, Sen. Bala Ibn Na-Allah said, “As far as the Senate is concerned injury to one Idoma man is injury to all.”
“We have a responsibility to ensure that everybody lives free and not in fear under democracy.”
“What touches me most is that the protest has the involvement of the clergy, like we all know when this group of people cry only those with fear hears.
DAILY POST gathered that the military officialssent to secure the community had to back out as they were overpowered by the superior firepower of the suspected Fulani invaders.
Over 200 people are believed to have so far been killed.