bash: messages: Operation not permitted

[root@nginx02 log]# :> messages
bash: messages: Operation not permitted
[root@nginx02 log]# lsattr messages
-----a-------e- messages
[root@nginx02 log]# chattr -a messages
[root@nginx02 log]# :> messages

[root@nginx02 log]# :> messages
bash: messages: Operation not permitted
[root@nginx02 log]# lsattr messages
-----a-------e- messages
[root@nginx02 log]# chattr -a messages
[root@nginx02 log]# :> messages