National Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Benue State, Garus Gololo, has denied that Fulani herdsmen are moving into Benue State for grazing even when they know there is a law prohibiting open grazing in the state, saying rather that they are “returning to their homes because they are from Benue State.”
Mr. Gololo said this in an interview with Sunday Punch, accusing Governor Samuel Ortom of not putting in place a law that would address the farmers-herders’ crisis.
He said, “I am not aware of any herdsman or herdsmen attempting to cross over from any other part of the country to Benue State to unleash attacks on Benue communities.
“All those herdsmen with their cows presently seen in and around Benue communities are just returning to their homes because they are from Benue State and they have the right to return to their homes any time.”
On the alarm recently raised by Governor Ortom that a large number of herdsmen were planning to invade Benue State to cause trouble again, he replied “It is not true that the Fulani herdsmen are planning to invade Benue State to attack innocent people of Benue.
“It is a false alarm by the governor because there is nothing like that. The allegation is untrue and unfounded. If there is anybody, who is plotting to kill in Benue State, it should be Governor Ortom.”
He added that the Federal Government and the international communities should caution the governor and subject him to questioning on why the killings and fights between the farmers/herdsmen have persisted. “He knows the answer.”
On why his people are not ready to obey the law forbiding open grazing in Benue, he said, “To me, there is nothing so special about the anti-open grazing law.
“This is because those who enacted the law did not make any provision for where to rear livestock; rather, they just want to subject our members to untold hardship.
“These people are returning home because the time has come for them to go back home. Where would they go again?
“Where will Ortom tell them to go? The governor is only using Fulani herdsmen coming into Benue as a campaign slogan. Let him forget about the Fulani and concentrate on payment of the backlog of salary arrears.
“Ortom should not be particular about the Fulani’s entry into Benue.
“He should focus his attention on how to give account of the Paris Club refund and several bailouts given to the state by the Federal Government and stop using the Fulani herdsmen as a campaign topic.”
As at the time of filing this report, Governor Ortom was yet to respond to the sms sent to his handphone over the claim by Mr. Gololo that the time has come for Fulani herdsmen to return back home to Benue.
cpcnews.org 