President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into killings by herdsmen in the Agatu community of Benue state.

President Buhari who expressed deep shock at the latest incident during the past week, which led to hundreds of deaths in four communities in Agatu, Benue State, ordered security agencies to get to the root causes of the problem.

“We will conduct an investigation to know exactly what happened; the only way to bring an end to the violence once and for all is to look beyond one incident and ascertain exactly what factors are behind the conflicts,” he said.

He added that all Nigerians must learn to live together as one, in peace and unity.

“We are all one nation and one people,” he said. “There should not be any reason why Nigerians of any group or tongue cannot now reside with one another wherever they find themselves after decades of living together.”

The President further expressed condolences to the government and people of Benue State, particularly the people of the Agatu communities, assuring them that the government would do everything possible to ensure that no such incident ever occurred in their midst again.

“Once the investigations are concluded, we will act immediately to address the root of the problem,” he said.

In another incident, Fulani herdsmen continued their onslaught on other communities in Taraba state, killing 9 people and injuring 10 others on Monday night 29th February 2016). The dead included one Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp member who was ambushed and shot at close range. Most of the deaths recorded were in the Zandon, Gborucha and Wusen communities in the Wakari and Ibi enclaves. The Government has therefore had to impose 24 hours curfews in those communities.

This would be the second attack in the last week, where on Thursday night, up to 5 people were hacked to death in another community.

Speaking about the recent killings, chairman of the group Youth Vision based in Taraba State, Mr. Audu Kefas told newsmen that farmers within these affected areas have deserted their villages for fear of further attacks. Kefas also disclosed that the Fulani militants who carried out the attacks on the villages in Ibi and Wukari areas have their camps in Gishisrin Hassan and Tunga villages at the border areas of Taraba, Nasarawa and Plateau states.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Taraba state command, ASP Joseph Kwaji denied knowledge of the attack on Wukari villages, he, however, confirmed that of Ibi, adding that a member of NSDC and four others were killed in the Ibi attack.

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Buhari orders investigation into Agatu (Benue) killings as Fulani ravage more in Taraba state