Benue Residents Reject Farmland Allocation to Miners

Displaced residents of Agatu West in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State have expressed strong opposition to the alleged allocation of their ancestral farmlands to a foreign mining company. Members of the Agatu West Peace Unity Forum, led by Ebi Lucki, accused traditional leaders of secretly agreeing to cede large portions of land for mining without consulting the rightful landowners.

This situation affects four wards: Usha, Ogwul, Kaduna, Enugba, and Ogwul Obaulu. The residents have been displaced due to repeated attacks by suspected herders, with 15 villages reportedly overrun between 2013 and 2024, forcing residents to flee and abandon their farmland.

The forum has issued a statement demanding the suspension of mining activities until displaced residents are resettled and has called for a review of the alleged agreements made without community consultation. They urge local authorities, including the chairman of the Agatu Local Government Area, to address these concerns and hold accountable those involved in the alleged land transfer.