Gov Ortom Insists Members Of Miyetti Allah Are Threats To Peace In Benue, Wants President To Do Something

Governor Samuel Ortom has reiterated that members of a Fulani group, known as Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore are threats to peace in his state, insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari should do something about it.
Governor Ortom who had a closed-door meeting with the President today, Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja said: “I believe that my request that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, who has earlier threatened and I accused them directly…since June last year, I have been writing to the leadership of security agencies that these people are a threat to our collective interest and they must be dealt with.
“They must be arrested and prosecuted because we cannot allow impunity to continue to thrive.”
The governor regretted that because there was no action taken, the same group embarked on recent killings, adding: “I think that Mr. President will also do the needful to ensure something is done.
“There has been relative peace amongst farmers and herdsmen; they were doing well until this militia – Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore – came and attacked us. And they are known. We know where they are. As I talk to you they are in Tongua in Awe local government. That is where these people are camped and coming to attack people.”
Governor Ortom said that he had, on January 1st, briefed the President when the killing incident began, and that after sometime when action was not forthwith, he had to come back personally to the Aso Villa to brief him.
“Already, because of the communications we have been having when this incidents started, actions have been taken as directed by him (President Buhari).
“The movement of the DIG (Deputy Inspector General – of police), the movement of the IG (Inspector General – of police) to Benue State to ensure that this challenge is surmounted, at the instance of Mr. President is the right thing in the right direction.
“Of course, additional personally of DSS (Department of State Security) and Police have been deployed, and even the Army. “We have additional personnel on ground now. We have adequately and fully given them the logistics support to ensure that our people are protected.”
Governor Ortom denied that he hired mercenaries from Republic of Ghana to fight herdsmen, saying: “I’m not aware of this and I don’t even know about that. I’m hearing it for the first time. If someone has done that it must be this Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, that have done it.”
On suggestion that full blown military operations be set up in Benue like other places, he said: “anything that can stop the killings of my people I will go for it. I support it. Any policy or any directive, anything that will helped stop the killing of these innocent people who are not armed because this can not continue is welcome.
“We know that the continuity of this will create greater challenges. I don’t want it to continue. We are struggling with economic issues; we are struggling with political issues and we are struggling with several other issues in this country, security issues and all that – Benue State should not be part of this. There is no need for it.”
The governor said that the law on prohibition of Open Grazing and Establishment of Ranching was made out of the necessity to ensure that there is peace for herdsmen and farmers.
“The law seeks to protect all and as I talk to you, except this Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, who are instigating people to fight and to kill us, there are Fulani men in Benue State as I talk to you doing their businesses.
Speaking on the Federal Government’s idea on setting up colonies to solve the problem, Ortom said: “I’m waiting to be briefed about what colonies means. I don’t understand it…but like I keep saying, for us, the way forward is ranching and uptil this time I am talking to you, the way forward is ranching because it is global best practice.
“It is practice in other parts of the world, on African soil, in Swaziland, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and almost all African countries that rear cattle. So why can’t we do the same thing here?
“For the colony thing  I don’t know what colony is.”