Armed Fulani militia on Saturday, May 17, 2025, ambushed and opened fire on Christian traders from Agatu as they returned from the Oweto Market, shattering a fragile peace that had held since early May.
Prior to this deadly assault, Agatu County had witnessed a rare period of calm following the signing of a Peace Accord between elected Agatu officials and Fulani tribal leaders on Friday, May 3, 2025. The agreement had marked a brief halt in a long history of violent conflict.
The Fulani, who represent about 7 percent of Nigeria’s population, are traditionally cattle herders but have long been entangled in protracted violence with Christian farming communities across the country. The International Committee on Nigeria has documented decades of bloodshed attributed to Fulani militias targeting Christian landholders.
Oweto, a largely agrarian Christian community—98 percent by demographic estimates—is located in Agatu County, Benue State. The town lies approximately 103 kilometers (64 miles) northwest of Makurdi, the state capital, and 183 kilometers (113 miles) south of Abuja. It shares a boundary with Nasarawa State, separated only by the River Benue.
The latest attack occurred just weeks after Agatu Local Government Chairman, Melvin Ejeh James, issued a 48-hour ultimatum on April 26, 2025, ordering all Fulani groups to vacate the county. The directive followed widespread destruction of farmland and crops allegedly caused by Fulani herders across multiple Agatu communities.
Local sources told TruthNigeria that following the order, one group of Fulani herders departed by crossing the Benue River into Nasarawa State. However, another group—reportedly well-armed and notably without any cattle—remained behind in the area.
This resurgence of violence, despite recent peace efforts, raises serious concerns about the durability of the accord and the potential for renewed conflict in Benue State’s already fragile security landscape.
