Agatu | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 7°54′N7°54′E / 7.9°N 7.9°E | |
Country | Nigeria |
State | Benue State |
Headquarters | Obagaji |
Government | |
• Local Government Chairman and the Head of the Local Government Council | Hon. Joseph Ngbede [1] |
Area | |
• Total | 411 sq mi (1,065 km2) |
Population (2022) [2] | |
• Total | 166,900 |
• Density | 410/sq mi (160/km2) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Agatu is a Local Government Area of Benue State, North Central Nigeria, created in 1996. It was formerly part of the Agatu district in the old Otukpo division. The headquarters of the local government is at Obagaji. Agatu is one of nine local government areas in the southern senatorial zone of Benue State, which is mainly occupied by the Idoma people. The majority of the resident population [3] are farmers.
By the 1991 census, it has a population of about 80,000.
On 21 Jan 2014, 20 civilians and 5 soldiers were killed in an Agatu in an attack by Fulani herdsmen. [4] [5]
Agatu was the scene of more attacks over two years later, in 2016.
Agatu is home to notable individuals such as Hon. John Ngbede, Benue State Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP); Hon. Samuel Odagboyi Godday, current member of the House of Representatives; Hon. Solomon Agidani, former member of the House of Representatives; Professor Isa Innocent Ekoja, the first professor from Agatu; and Pastor John Eliagwu Odogbo, the current Ochidoma of Idoma.
The Agatu local government region is well known for its extensive cultivation of crops like yam, cassava, rice, beans, sorghum, and melons. In the Agatu local government area, minerals like kaolin, anhydride, and limestone are abundant. [6]
Agatu LGA's terrain is characterized by a scattering of highlands that run from east to west beside flat fertile regions. Additionally, the region's western portion is covered in dense forests. [6]
Towns and Villages under Agatu LocalGovernments Area. [7]
Benue State is one of the North Central states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in the 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 and was among the seven states created at that time. The state derives its name from the Benue River initially called Ber-nor, a compound word in Tiv language which means river or lake of hippopotamus the name Ber-nor was corrupted to BENUE by colonial masters, the river is the second largest river in Nigeria after the River Niger. The state borders Nasarawa State to the North; Taraba State to the East; Kogi State to the West; Enugu State to the South-West; Ebonyi and Cross-Rivers State to the South; and has an international border with Cameroon to the South-East. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv, Idoma and Igede people. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are Etulo, Igbo, hausa and Jukun people etc. Its capital is Makurdi. Benue is a rich agricultural region; common crops cultivated in the state include oranges, yams, mangoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, soya bean, guinea corn, flax, sesame, rice, groundnuts and palm trees.
Plateau State is a north central Nigerian state. It is located near the centre of Nigeria and includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau. Plateau State is described as "The Home of Peace and Tourism". The state has a population of around 4.7 million people. Its capital city is Jos.
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It is the headquarters of the Idoma Nation, and remains an important town in Idomaland, an area mainly populated by the Idoma speaking people, though with numerous local dialects spoken in the diverse reaches of Idoma land. Otukpo Idoma language is the umbrella lingua.
Apa local government area was first created on 23 March 1981. It became defunct on 31 December 1983, and was later re-created in August, 1991. The local government is located in the northwestern part of Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. It is bounded to the North by Agatu local government, to the East by Gwer West, to the South by Otukpo and to West by Omala local government area of Kogi State.
Ado is a local government area of Benue State, Nigeria and was created in 1991. It is one of the 9 local government areas in the southern senatorial zone which is mainly occupied primarily by the Idoma and Igbo people of Benue State. The administrative headquarters are at Igumale, situated on the railway line transversing the north-south of Nigeria. The area contains mineral and natural resources in commercial quantities such as limestone, kaolin, petroleum and coal. It is a culturally rich and diverse area comprising the Agila/Apa, Ulayi, Ijigbam, Utonkon and Igumale, Ekile communities. It was one of the first areas in Idoma to have contact with European missionaries, hence it had the first missionary school in the Idoma area. The Catholic Missionaries first came to Utonkon in Ado in 1922 where they established the St. Paul's Catholic Church (Parish) in Utonkon, the home of HRH, Late Amb. Dr. Edwin Ogebe Ogbu, the Ochi'doma III of Idoma, Hon. (Chief) Dennis Ekpe Ogbu, The Ogakwu K'Idoma, and Justice George I. Uloko (Rtd) a former Chief Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Nigeria. Utonkon is the location of the defunct Apa State University and Igumale is the location of the Benue state cement factory.
Guma is a Local Government Area of Benue State, North Central Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Gbajimba.
Kwande is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Adikpo.
Tarka is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Wannune.
Uzo-Uwani is a Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria bordering Kogi State and Anambra State. Its headquarters is in the town of Umulokpa. It has an area of 855 km2 and a population of 124,480 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 411.
Tafawa Balewa is a local government area in the Southern part of Bauchi State in northern Nigeria. Its headquarters was in the town of Tafawa Balewa, but has now being shifted to Bununu town in 2011 due to constant unrest in the former.
John Dyegh is a Nigerian politician, businessman and philanthropist from Gboko, Benue State who served as a member of the 9th Nigeria National Assembly, representing Gboko/Tarka Federal constituency at the House of Representatives of Nigeria. Dyegh previously served as a member of committee on Appropriations, Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Education, Gas Resources, Inter-Parliamentary Relations, Science and Technology in the 7th National Assembly. He ran for the second term as a favourite candidate, bearing the flag of the All Progressives Congress and retained his seat, following the announcement of 28 March National Assembly Polls in the 2015 General Elections in which he polled 67,463 votes to defeat his challenger, Bernard Nenger of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) with 26,329 votes. He ran for a third term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress and won. Dyegh successfully served his 3rd term in the National Assembly and was the House committee chairman on Human Rights. He ran for a fourth term under the platform of the Peoples' Democratic Party where he lost to Regina Akume, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general elections.
Nimbo is a border town in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State, Nigeria, where seven villages- Ekwuru, Nimbo-Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ebor, Enugu-Nimbo, Umuome and Ugwuachara were invaded, and scores massacred by over 500 armed Fulani herdsmen, rated the fourth deadliest terror group in the world, in the early hours of April 25, 2016. Uzo Uwani has boundaries with the Southern States of Ebonyi and Anambra, and Central States of Benue and Kogi, where these attacks have increased lately.
The Agatu attacks and massacres occurred in Agatu, Benue State, began in late February 2016 and continued for several days into March.
Herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria are a series of disputes over arable land resources across Nigeria between the mostly-Muslim Fulani herders and the mostly-Christian non-Fulani farmers. The conflicts have been especially prominent in the Middle Belt since the return of democracy in 1999. More recently, they have deteriorated into attacks on farmers by Fulani herdsmen.
Dickson Dominic Tarkighir is a Nigerian politician. He is a member of the 10th Nigeria National Assembly of the Nigerian House of Representatives representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency. He was also a member of the 8th National Assembly and a member of the ECOWAS parliament.
Terwase Akwaza also known as Gana was a most wanted criminal and head of a militia in Benue State, Nigeria, whose activities peaked between 2015 and 2020. According to Murphy Ganagana and George Okoh, he was likened to the heroic outlaw, Robin Hood. He terrorized the Sankera geopolitical axis comprising Katsina Ala, Ukum, and Logo local governments' area, for more than a decade. Locals ascribed magical powers of disappearing and appearing to him and trembled at the mention of his name. Hated for his crimes, he positioned himself to be seen by the Tiv people as their defender against external aggression. He was loved by the people of his village, Gbeji, for providing them with basic amenities. Gana was accused of massacres, kidnappings, assassinations, robberies, cattle rustling, terrorism and murders. He levied farmers, traders, and prominent people. Resisting to pay brought death. His supremacy battle with former allies devastated several communities. A bounty of 50 million naira was placed on his head. Covert operations as well as air and ground offensives by the Nigeria Police and military to smoke out and arrest or kill him failed. He was murdered by the Nigerian Army after he turned himself in for amnesty on 8 September 2020.
On April 12, 2022, armed herdsmen attacked several villages in Benue State, Nigeria, killing over 25 people and injuring many more.
Between December 19 and 25, 2022, several villages in Kagoro, Kaduna State, Nigeria were attacked by unknown groups, who killed over 46 people in two attacks.
On June 7, 2021, suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked the village of Odugbeho, Agatu LGA, Benue State, Nigeria, killing at least forty people.