Peace is gradually returning to Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State as displaced residents continue to return to their ancestral communities and resume farming activities, Chairman of the council, Ambassador Melvin James Ejeh, has said.
Ejeh, speaking to newsmen on phone said the development followed sustained security operations and interventions by the Benue State Government, the Agatu Local Government Council and security agencies to restore confidence and enable residents to reclaim their homes and farmlands.
According to him, communities including Egwuma, Akele, Olegankolo, Ikpele 1 and 2, Ogwumogbo, Iwari, Okpokpolo, Olakpa, Ogbai, Olegadapa, Olegadaechono, Ekwo and Okadu/London have witnessed the return of residents who had earlier fled their homes because of insecurity.
He said the return of displaced persons and resumption of farming activities were clear indications that confidence was gradually returning to the affected communities.
Ejeh commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for the support provided to security agencies operating in Agatu, particularly logistics and operational equipment aimed at improving their mobility and response capacity in hard-to-reach communities.
He also commended Operation Whirl Stroke, the Department of State Services, DSS, the Nigeria Police Force and other security formations for their sustained sacrifices and tireless efforts towards restoring peace in Agatu and neighbouring communities.
“Their clearance operations, patrols and continued presence in affected communities have helped create a safer environment for displaced residents to return to their homes and farmlands,” Ejeh said.
He added that the sacrifices of security personnel, often made under difficult conditions, remained critical to sustaining the peace and preventing a relapse into violence.
The council chairman said the local government was working with the state government, security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to consolidate the gains and ensure that returning residents were supported to rebuild their lives.
He stressed that restoring peace must go beyond security operations to include the rehabilitation of communities and provision of basic services such as education, healthcare, markets and access to farmlands.
Ejeh said the local government had also taken steps to restore basic education in affected communities, citing the operation of the Universal Basic Education, UBE, Primary School in Nkwele as part of efforts to provide access to education for children in returning communities.
He said the council would continue to support initiatives aimed at rebuilding communities affected by insecurity and creating conditions for residents to remain permanently in their ancestral homes.
The chairman, however, said the recovery process was not yet complete, noting that communities such as Ejima Geche and Ejima Gega were still awaiting the full return of their residents.
He appealed to youths, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents to support the peace process and reject activities capable of undermining the progress recorded.
Ejeh said the proposed establishment of a permanent security camp in Agatu would further strengthen the security architecture of the area and boost the confidence of residents returning to their communities.
He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that Agatu no longer remained synonymous with displacement and insecurity but became a community where residents could safely farm, trade, send their children to school and rebuild their livelihoods.
The chairman said the return of residents to 14 communities and the resumption of farming activities represented a major step towards recovery, adding that the council would continue to work with Governor Alia and other stakeholders to ensure that the gains were sustained.
“Peace must be protected by all of us. Government can provide security and support, but the people themselves must also take ownership of the peace and ensure that nothing is allowed to take Agatu back to the days of fear and displacement,” he said.
