Peace crusader Aondongu Peter Suleagbough has accused the government of being behind the repeated killing of farmers by armed herders in Benue communities, a serious allegation that officials have not yet answered. He also says he saw herders living in houses in Ayati community whose owners had fled to camps for displaced people. The claims are his own and have not been independently verified. They follow our earlier report, Where Was Zegebra? Aondongu Mocks Kidnapper Kingpin at His Village, Ayaba.
Key points at a glance
- Aondongu alleges that the government is behind the killing of farmers by armed herders across Benue communities.
- He says that, after visiting Ayaba, he led security personnel to Ayati, where he saw herders living in houses abandoned by their owners.
- He accuses local government chairmen of collecting security votes from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocation and diverting the money for personal use.
- He has asked farmers, politicians, business people and other concerned residents to donate money so he can mobilise security personnel to drive armed herders out of Ayati and other villages in Tiv land.
- Daily Talk could not verify any of these claims, and no official response was available at the time of writing.
What Aondongu said
According to Aondongu, the killings of farmers are not random. He said the government is behind them, though in the account provided to Daily Talk he did not name an official or present documents to support the claim.
He said that after his visit to Ayaba he led security personnel to Ayati community. There, he said, he saw Fulani herders living in houses that belonged to villagers who had fled their homes and are now in displaced persons’ camps.
He also targeted local government chairmen. He said they receive security votes from their share of the monthly FAAC allocation but divert the money for personal benefit, instead of paying it to security personnel to chase the herders away.
Finally, he called on all concerned people in Benue, including farmers, politicians and business owners, to start donating money to him so that he can mobilise security personnel and push armed herders out of Ayati and other villages across Tiv land.
These statements are allegations. Daily Talk has not seen evidence of the diversion of funds, of government involvement in attacks, or of the occupation of houses described. The people named or implied have not responded, and no one has been convicted of any offence in connection with these claims.
Background: the Ayaba visit and the challenge from Zegebra
Aondongu’s Ayaba visit grew out of a public challenge. Matthew Zegebra, widely known by that name and accused by Aondongu and his supporters of links to kidnapping, dared the crusader to meet him face to face. Aondongu accepted and chose Ayaba, in Ukum Local Government Area, as the venue. Zegebra then appeared in a viral video saying he was ready to welcome him, but later told his followers on Facebook that he could not fight the government and that Ayaba was not a battlefield, according to Daily Talk’s earlier reports. When Aondongu’s team went to Ayaba and Agu on Monday, 2 November, Zegebra did not appear at either place. Aondongu mocked the no-show before the crowd in Ayaba and gave suspected kidnappers a 24-hour ultimatum to free their captives. These are accounts from Aondongu’s camp, and Zegebra has not made any public post clarifying his position.
Why Ayaba and Ayati matter
Ayaba is in Mbazun Ward, Ukum Local Government Area, which has seen deadly attacks this year. Police said about 10 people were killed in a Sunday attack on Aboajo village in August, according to IntelNewsNG. Governor Hyacinth Alia said then that suspected terrorists “masquerading as herdsmen” had attacked residents of Ayaba and other communities. Other reports, including Tribune Online, described the same attack and put the number of bodies recovered at five at an earlier stage.
The violence is not limited to one area. Vanguard reported this week that at least four people, including a man said to be a pastor, were killed in an attack by suspected armed herders in Logo Local Government Area.
For readers following the crusader’s activities, our report on Aondongu’s team visiting Ayaba and Agu while opponents stayed away gives more detail.
What are security votes?
A security vote is money that state and local governments set aside for security-related spending. Aondongu’s claim is that local government chairmen receive such funds from the FAAC allocation, the monthly sharing of federal revenue among the three tiers of government, and spend them on themselves.
Daily Talk has not seen any audit or official record to support this. The chairmen have not responded to the claim. It is also worth noting that the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Benue, Dr. Shaku Justine, donated a vehicle to Aondongu to support his work, according to Benue Today. Aondongu’s accusation does not name him, and nothing in the reports suggests he is the subject of it.
Questions raised by the donation appeal
Aondongu’s call for donations raises practical questions that readers should weigh carefully. It is not clear how the money would be collected, who would manage it or how it would be accounted for. It is also unclear how privately funded efforts would coordinate with the police and the army, who hold the legal responsibility for security.
Readers who want to help should check that any appeal is genuine before sending money. Security experts also warn that private groups acting on their own can raise the risk of mistakes and reprisal attacks. Supporters, on the other hand, say communities have waited too long for protection and see his campaign as a sign that residents are taking action.
It is also important not to blame an entire group for the actions of armed criminals. Many herders are peaceful, and the governor’s own wording described the attackers as terrorists posing as herdsmen.
What the government has said
In the reports reviewed, there has been no direct reply from the government to Aondongu’s accusation. In earlier statements on attacks, the governor condemned the violence, praised security agencies for their response and promised continued support for efforts to protect lives and property.
Daily Talk will publish any response from the state government, the police command or the local government chairmen as soon as it is available.
What happens next
Several things are worth watching. First, whether security agencies respond to the claim that herders are living in abandoned homes in Ayati, and what they find. Second, whether anyone in government replies to the accusation. Third, whether the donation appeal produces a public account of how funds are raised and used.
For more coverage of the 2027 contest and the politics around Benue, visit our Politics section and our Election Countdown page.
Editor’s note: This report is based on statements attributed to Aondongu Peter Suleagbough, on Daily Talk’s earlier coverage and on published reports linked in the text. Daily Talk has not independently verified the claims. Anyone named is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise. Anyone who wishes to respond can reach the newsroom through the Contact Us page.
