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Agatu youths have petitioned the Nigerian Military authorities demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Operation Whirl Stroke personnel from Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
In a strongly worded petition dated May 3, 2026, addressed to Major General Moses Gara, Commandant of Operation Whirl Stroke in Makurdi, the Agatu Indigenous Youth Association (AIYA) accused the military, particularly the Agatu Unit Commander, Major Musa Okposhi, of compromise, gross inefficiency, and loss of public trust.
The petition, signed by Comrade Ochokwunu Daniel Edor, Convener and Interim National President of AIYA, stated that the Agatu people no longer feel safe under the current military protection and fear they may be attacked and killed by the same forces meant to safeguard them.
The youths listed several grounds for their demand, including insubordination by the unit commander, lack of proactiveness in responding to security threats, unprofessional temperament, disregard for duty, absence of routine patrols, intimidation of community youths, apparent bias in responding to incidents, and failure to act on credible intelligence.
They cited specific incidents, such as the recent attack on Odugbeho community where actionable intelligence was provided but no security presence was deployed, and the abandonment of Olegabulu community during an attack that claimed lives.
The group demanded the immediate withdrawal of Operation Whirl Stroke personnel from the entire Agatu LGA and their replacement with Mobile Police officers, recalling that residents felt more secure when Mobile Police were stationed in the area between 2013 and 2017. They also insisted that any Mobile Police Commander deployed must understand the local language and security dynamics of the terrain.
The petition was copied to prominent stakeholders including the Och’Idoma IV, Senator Abba Moro, Hon. Ojotu Ojema, Hon. Godwin Abuh Edor, the Och’Agatu, and the Chairman of Agatu Local Government Council.
The Agatu Indigenous Youth Association described the situation as urgent and called for swift action to prevent further loss of lives and restore confidence in the security architecture of the area.
As of the time of this report, the military authorities are yet to respond to the petition.
