Shimanor, a partner of Sankera peace crusader Aondongu Peter Suleagbough, says the team went to both Ayaba and Agu on Monday, November 2, 2026, but that their opponents did not turn up, calling the outcome an “Ayaba walkover.” The update, posted on Facebook only minutes before this report, follows days of tension over a public challenge that began when alleged bandit kingpin Zegebra dared Aondongu to a face-to-face showdown.
Key Points at a Glance
- The update: Shimanor posted on Facebook that he and Aondongu went to both Ayaba and Agu and that the opposing team did not appear.
- The people named: He said the opponents were Chen I Tiv (also called Ichen), Zegebra and Full Fire.
- The wording: He described it as a “home and away walkover,” using the language of a football match.
- Zegebra’s posts: Earlier on Monday, Zegebra posted on Facebook withdrawing from the challenge, then posted again saying he was not against Aondongu and Shimanor.
- Still awaited: Aondongu had not yet made a public post about the Ayaba visit at the time of writing.
- No independent confirmation: Nothing in this report has been confirmed by security agencies.
What Shimanor Said
Shimanor wrote on Facebook that “today’s match” had ended in a walkover at both locations, Ayaba and Agu, and that “our opponent team no come.” In the language of sport, a walkover means one side wins because the other does not appear. He used the word home and away to show that the team had gone to both places.
“We went to both Ayaba and Agu.”
He named Chen I Tiv, Zegebra and Full Fire as the opponents who did not show up. Chen I Tiv is a name Aondongu used in an earlier Facebook reply to the man widely known in local accounts as Ichen.
The football language is figurative. The standoff is not a sporting event, and nobody should treat armed criminals or public confrontations as a game. Daily Talk reports the wording only because it is what Shimanor used.
Zegebra’s Two Posts
Earlier on Monday, Zegebra posted on Facebook withdrawing himself from the challenge. According to accounts seen by Daily Talk, he said he would not engage the government in a fight. Daily Talk reports this as his own claim and does not endorse it.
A short time later, Zegebra posted again. In this second post he said he was not against Aondongu and his partner Shimanor and that he also wanted peace to return to his villages. The two posts send very different messages, and it is not clear which, if either, reflects his real position.
This is the latest turn in a story we have followed closely. Only a day earlier, Daily Talk reported that Zegebra had withdrawn from the face-off, saying Ayaba is not a battlefield.
How the Standoff Began
Aondongu Peter Suleagbough emerged about three months ago as a self-styled peace crusader in Sankera, the area covering Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue State. He warned armed robbers, kidnappers and bandits to drop their weapons or face the consequences.
Several alleged bandit leaders, including those known as Ichen, Full Fire and Zegebra, reportedly dismissed his words and challenged him to a physical face-off at a neutral location in Ukum. Aondongu accepted and later named Ayaba, in Ukum, as the place where he would visit on Monday, November 2.
In the days that followed, Ichen was reported to have gone into hiding. Aondongu replied on Facebook that freedom could not be granted to anyone who keeps firearms, and he later said in a video that the Ayaba visit would be peaceful, that no innocent blood would be shed and that criminals should stay away or surrender. These are the claims of the people involved and have not been verified.
What We Still Do Not Know
- Whether any other people were present at Ayaba or Agu, and how many.
- Whether the police or the army were deployed to either location.
- What Aondongu himself will say about the visit.
- Where Ichen, Zegebra and Full Fire are, and whether any of them will respond.
What Happens Next
All eyes are now on Aondongu, who has not yet posted about the Ayaba visit. His account will be the first from the peace crusader himself. Security agencies may also issue a statement. Daily Talk will update this report as verified details emerge.
Editor’s Note: This report is based on Facebook posts attributed to Shimanor and Zegebra, and on previously published reports from other news organisations. Daily Talk has not independently verified the claims. Names and allegations of criminal conduct are presented as claims, not established facts, and no person mentioned has been convicted in connection with them. Statements about fighting are reported as the speaker’s own words and are not endorsed by Daily Talk. Nothing in this article is intended to encourage violence or to target any ethnic, religious or social group.
