Benue
State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Saturday hinted that the Fulani Socio-cultural
group, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s constant threat won’t stop the state’s stand
against open grazing prohibition in the state. Ortom noted that the
Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law has come to stay and its
implementation is ongoing without hitches.
He
disclosed that the law aimed at protecting both farmers and herdsmen, stressing
that it was not enacted to witch hunt any group of persons or individuals.
Reacting
to a story in THISDAY newspaper’s Saturday edition, the Chief Press Secretary
to Benue State Government, Terver Akase stated: “Another statement issued by
Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore claiming that 10,000 cows have been evicted from
Benue State since implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches
Establishment Law commenced on November 1.
He
said, “We find the allegation by the group as contradictory as it has come.
This is because the same group had said two weeks ago that Fulani pastoralists
decided to voluntarily leave Benue State because, according to them, they will
never accept the law banning open grazing in the state.”
According
to him, “Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s insinuation that cows owned by Fulanis
have been driven out of Benue is therefore a sharp contradiction to their
earlier published stand.
“The
claim by the group that they are under threat as a result of their stand
against the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of Benue State is also hypocritical.”
He
added that, “Miyetti Allah has in the last couple of months been drumming for
war and threatening to mobilise their members to attack the people of Benue
State.
“The
group’s alarm that a Fulani cattle owner in Benue recently jumped into River
Benue is another ridiculous fabrication aimed at creating an atmosphere of
apprehension in the state.
Akase
further stated that, Benue State Government has repeatedly called for the
arrest of the group’s President, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo and its Secretary,
Saleh Alhassan for making statements capable of causing the breakdown of law
and order in Benue State.
“We
wish to once more urge security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, apprehend
officials of the splinter Miyetti Allah group for questioning. Hundreds of
Benue people have been killed by herdsmen in the last couple of years.
“That
Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has openly assumed responsibility as the umbrella
body shielding the killer herdsmen, it is pertinent that they are arrested and
made to account for the blood of the innocent persons.
“We
encourage livestock owners to obey provisions of the law to enable them
establish ranches for rearing of their animals. This is the best way to end
frequent invasion of Benue communities and killing of innocent people in the
state.
THISDAY
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