*Buhari doesn’t need to visit crisis area – Presidency

*Peace is returning – Councilboss

By Levinus Nwabughiogu, Peter Duru and Abiodun Alade

The representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mrs. Angele Dikongue Atangana, says the attacks in Agatu local government area of Benue State by suspected militia left the area in total ruin.

Atangana, led on the tour of the area by Ezekiel Adaji, the Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees and NorthEast Development Initiative, also described the damage as unimaginable.

The UN representative, who stated that the plight of Agatu people deserved national and international attention, stressed that it would be difficult for the affected people to rebuild their communities without external help.

“In my 20 years of working as a humanitarian, I have never seen such a level of destruction. If steps are not taken, the crisis can affect the country as a whole,” she said.

She noted that the damage to Agatu was similar to what was happening in the North-East, and assured that her agency would aid in the rehabilitation of the displaced persons.

Addressing the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, at the Ugbokpo camp, Atangana disclosed that the UN body had donated non-food items worth over N20 million to the IDPs, stating that the items were with the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA,in Makurdi.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has dismissed the calls for President Muhammadu Buhari to visit Agatu, saying he needed not to be physically present to do his job.

The President spoke through the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, during a session with Osasu Igbinedion on “The Osasu Show,” aired on the African Independent Television, AIT.

In any case, Adesina reminded Nigerians that the Presidency had issued a statement on Agatu killings detailing the position of Buhari.

Also, yesterday, the Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Mr Joseph Ngbede, claimed that normalcy had returned to the area.

Ngbede, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard on phone, said residents were returning home.

“I don’t stay in Makurdi. I am in Agatu. I can say there are no more attacks and the people are returning home,” he said.

He said that, although the suspected Fulani attackers come from neighbouring Nasarawa State, he is not aware of the owner of the cows.

Last week, a meeting of Benue socio-cultural groups and religious leaders had flayed Buhari, army, and police chiefs, as well as Governor Samuel Ortom for failing to visit Agatu and other besieged Benue communities after the attacks.

sleepingTROUBLE:
Do we need to look any further? "He is doing a good job" says Obama. Hmmmmm

NaijaEfcc:
0menka is busy with his zombie job while his pay master is killing his kinsmen, what a pity, just a typical case of what money can do smh

omenka:
[s]Yet some people were mad angry both parties eventually reached a peace agreement, preferring that the killings continue simply so they can have a good reason to insult the President.

They care less if thousands die, just as long as it makes Buhari look bad, it is okay for them.

As they wish death upon the people of Agatu, I hope their desires come to pass even in their own living rooms.

Peace will reign in Agatu, amen.[/s]

omenka:
Jonathan response to everything during his time was reprehensible. He was an accidental president hence hadn't the slightest thing it took to respond appropriately to a situation.

The only time he responded swiftly to a "situation" was when the mother of Nigeria's prime minister was kidnapped.

He even confessed to being a confused man at some point.

NaijaEfcc:
0menka is busy with his zombie job while his pay master is killing his kinsmen, what a pity, just a typical case of what money can do smh

MonPro:
why should omenka and kyase be on this kind of thread? their fulani principals will not be happy with them if they comment here. lol

Kyase:

What a shame
What tribe are you from?

spanishkid:
This is why I support the disintegration of this union called Nigeria. I've often attacked and blasted those who called Nigeria a zoo but for the very first time in my life, I'm forced to call Nigeria a ZOO. I don't get it. Are Hausas/Fulanis are special class different from every other ethnic group amongst the 250 ethnic groups we have in this country?

How can these herdsmen be carrying AK 47s and other deadly weapons around? How can a few herdsmen be killing, raping and destroying communities at will? Why is PMB quiet on the activities of these herdsmen but very quick to order for the arrest of 76 indigenes of Enugu who decided to stand up to these fulani herdsmen? Why was he so quick to deploy military men to kill innocent, unharmed and defenseless protesters? I cannot continue to list some of the atrocities committed by his fellow tribesmen.

If we are going to continue to be exposed each day to these blood suckers, isn't it better for everyone to go his or her separate ways? Do we need a soothsayer or a whatever to tell us that we are not ONE? I've always been a tribalist here on nairaland and a very big one for that matter but I've really sat down to think about everything going on in this country and I believe there's some element of sense in what some these igbos are saying here on nairaland. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're just talking for the sake of it or that they're crybabies like some of us tag them to be.

But one thing is certain. And that is, a day would come when these Fulani herdsmen will have no where to run and nowhere to hide. PMB do you know what is worse than an Atomic or a Nuclear explosion? I'll tell you. A racial, tribal and religious explosion is far worse than an Atomic or a Nuclear explosion. It can burn forever and it has no end.

Cc: lalasticlala do the needful

Kyase:

What a shame
What tribe are you from?

omenka:
These guys, they'd never reveal a thing about themselves because they are ashamed of their identities.

Face; they have none. Real names; nada. State; don't even go there. Village; probably from Mars. Yet you see them mentioning one's moniker and Agatu all over the place as though everyone from Benue is from Agatu.

These guys, some of them over 30years, have never ventured out of their little cocoons to see what obtains in the outside world. They are just like those silly Americans who think Africa is a country.