Benue Governor Identifies Herdsmen Allegedly Attacking Farmers

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has identified members of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as allegedly being responsible for the lingering attacks on farmers, especially in the North Central part of the country.
The governor, who was reacting to a statement by the National President of the group, Abdullahi Bodejo, Allegedly threatening state governments that fail to provide land for the establishment of RUGA settlemens, called for the arrest of the leader.
The governor’s statement, issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, recalled Bodejo’s alleged threat to disrupt the peace of any state that fails to establish cattle colonies also known as Ruga settlements.
He quoted Miyetti Allah leader as saying: “…you are a governor and you want to enjoy peace in your state, you don’t need any long meeting, just create a particular area for the Fulani and equip them with modern amenities.”
Governor Ortom described the purported comment of Bodejo as inciting and direct invitation to anarchy.
”The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s outing has confirmed the fact that the group is not only responsible for attacks on farming communities in parts of the country but is also determined to reject any method of animal husbandry that does not agree with nomadic cattle breeding and are poised to sponsor violence in states not willing to donate land for open grazing.
“Utterances such as those of Bodejo are inciting and direct invitation for anarchy. No group should be above the law to be dictating to states on how to accord preference to it at the expense of other Nigerians.
“We call for the arrest and prosecution of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore President for persistently making statements capable of stirring crises in the country.”
Benue state House of Assembly passed the anti-open grazing bill last year following the incessant clash between farmers and herdsmen in the state.