As Aondongu Peter Suleagbough challenges armed groups to surrender their weapons and embrace peace, Sankera’s battered communities face another test of hope, unity and accountability, writes Denen Achussah.
“Lay down your arms and embrace peace because the time for criminals is up.”
It is not an appeal. It is a command.
This is the message of Aondongu Peter Suleagbough, popularly known as the King of Double Standards, whose campaign against criminality is stirring conversations across Sankera, comprising Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State.
Under the banner of “Truth. Justice. Unity. Accountability,” Suleagbough says the time has come for communities to reclaim their lives from armed groups that have subjected residents to years of killings, kidnapping, extortion, robbery and displacement.
“We will not be silenced. We will not be divided. We will stand for our rights,” is the rallying cry of his movement.
But who is the man behind the campaign? And can a community-led initiative succeed where years of government interventions and peace efforts have struggled?
A land in pain
For more than two decades, insecurity has stunted life in Sankera. Farmers have struggled to access their fields, traders have faced attacks, traditional rulers have fled their domains, and families have lost loved ones to violence and kidnapping.
The crisis is often traced to the October 2001 military operation remembered as the Zaki Biam massacre. Following the killing of 19 soldiers, federal troops conducted operations across communities in Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala, leaving widespread destruction and civilian deaths.
The tragedy deepened historical grievances, but subsequent insecurity evolved into a complex crisis involving armed groups, rivalries, kidnapping, extortion and alleged political patronage.
Over time, some armed actors acquired influence over local disputes and commercial activities. Farmers reportedly paid illegal levies to access their land, while businesses and markets became vulnerable to attacks.
Government interventions, including Operation Zenda in 2008, Operation Whirl Stroke in 2018, amnesty initiatives and curfews, have failed to eliminate the violence.
The September 2020 killing of notorious armed figure Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Gana, did not end the crisis either. Instead, new armed actors and shifting rivalries emerged across parts of Sankera.
Today, the cost is measured not only in lives lost but also in abandoned farms, disrupted education, struggling businesses and displaced families.
Enter the King of Double Standards
Suleagbough hails from Peva in Takum LGA of Taraba State. He is of Shitile extraction, has Tiv ancestry and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science Education.
His unusual title raises an obvious question: Why call himself the King of Double Standards?
His explanation is that criminals consider themselves smart, and he is prepared to confront them on their own terms.
“If you want peace, you are welcome. If you want otherwise, I will take it to you,” he says.
He also describes himself as “Gande vanger u hen tar Tiv (beyond reproach in Tivland)” and says “Diamond Daga.”
His recurring expression, “As the community demands,” reflects his claim that the campaign is rooted in the desire of residents to take back their communities.
Suleagbough says he began considering the initiative in 2025, troubled by the suffering of communities in southern Taraba and Sankera and what he perceived as inadequate representation of their concerns.
“That’s how I thought of how we can come together and provide solutions to our problems,” he told The New Times in a WhatsApp interview.
He initially reached out to armed actors, urging them to abandon criminality and submit themselves to the authority of community elders.
Although he said there were encouraging responses, attacks and kidnapping continued. He now insists that armed groups must surrender their weapons and renounce criminality.
His warnings have reportedly been directed at armed figures identified as Konyo, Chen, Full Fire and Matthew Zegebera, among others.
Some have dismissed his approach and challenged his strategy. Their reactions underline the risks facing an initiative that seeks to challenge entrenched armed interests.
Suleagbough acknowledges that the journey may be difficult and that some members of his movement could lose patience. Nevertheless, he insists there will be no retreat until peace is restored and displaced communities can reclaim their homes.
Can peace efforts succeed?
Sankera is not new to reconciliation initiatives.
The Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Most Rev. Isaac Dugu, has championed efforts to reconcile armed groups and encourage unity, with support from the Benue State Government.
Bishop Dugu appealed to residents and armed actors to restore brotherly relations and work towards peace and development.
The initiative reportedly produced encouraging gestures. One armed figure, identified as Konyo, called on traditional rulers displaced by insecurity to return to their communities.
However, continued attacks showed that appeals for reconciliation had not resolved the underlying crisis.
Suleagbough’s campaign could complement these efforts by creating additional channels for dialogue and voluntary disarmament. But lasting peace will require more than threats and declarations.
Those willing to surrender their weapons should be processed through transparent, lawful mechanisms. Suspected offenders must be investigated, while victims must not be denied justice in the name of reconciliation.
Traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, youths, farmers and civil society groups should also participate in the process.
A call for government support
The campaign has attracted support from some influential figures.
Rep. Solomon Wombo, who represents Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has urged local armed groups to embrace the initiative, describing it as an answer to his prayers.
Suleagbough has also met the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, at his palace in Gboko. A source at the palace told The New Times that the paramount ruler was pleased with the initiative.
Dr. Terfa Ayaga, a senior university teacher, has separately called on the Benue State Government and the three Sankera local government councils to support the campaign.
These expressions of support present an opportunity for the government to strengthen community participation in the search for peace.
The government should coordinate security agencies, traditional rulers and community representatives around a clear plan for disarmament, civilian protection and accountability. Residents who provide credible intelligence must be protected, while displaced families need assistance returning home safely.
Farmers must be able to cultivate their land without paying illegal levies, traders must operate without fear, and children must return to school in safety.
Progress should be measured by fewer killings and kidnappings, the safe return of displaced residents and the restoration of normal economic activities.
Above all, the campaign must not become a platform for private vengeance. Allegations must be supported by evidence, and no individual or group should assume the powers of the police or courts.
The seven-goat mystery
Suleagbough’s emergence has also revived speculation about a mysterious man seen in parts of Sankera in 2022 with seven black goats.
The man allegedly travelled through Zaki Biam, Chito, Anyiin and Ugba, declaring that divine judgment was imminent.
The New Times did not independently establish his identity or mission. While some commentators attached spiritual significance to the episode, others offered different interpretations.
There is no verified evidence connecting the mysterious visitor to Suleagbough or his campaign.
For communities exhausted by insecurity, however, the more pressing concern is not whether the two episodes are connected but whether the present initiative can produce tangible results.
Sankera needs practical solutions, not speculation.
Peace at last or another false dawn?
Suleagbough has declared that the culture of impunity must end and that peace and dignity must return to Tivland.
His campaign has generated renewed discussion about community responsibility, government action and the need to confront criminality.
Yet Sankera’s history offers a warning: Removing an influential armed figure does not necessarily dismantle the networks and conditions that sustain violence. Nor can curfews and military operations alone rebuild communities or restore public confidence.
The challenge is to ensure that criminality no longer offers a route to wealth, influence or political relevance.
Ultimately, the campaign’s success will be measured by whether people can sleep peacefully, farm freely, trade safely, and return home without fear.
Let armed groups surrender their weapons. Let traditional rulers return to their domains. May farmers reclaim their fields and families move freely without fear.
The coming days will determine whether the King of Double Standards becomes a catalyst for peace or another chapter in Sankera’s long search for security.
Sankera needs lasting peace, justice and a security system that protects every resident.
