Cattle colonies : Ortom calls for the arrest and prosecution of Miyetti Allah leader

Barely one week after the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, representative of herders across Nigeria, apologised to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, over the clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the state, another crisis has ensued.
        The Nation reports that despite the initial apology by the herders, the group threatened that governors must establish cattle colonies or know no peace in their states. It was gathered that while reacting to the threat, Ortom, through his chief press secretary said that the group was not above the law, adding that he would take necessary sanction against anybody who violates the law of the land. He said: “We have read with shock a statement in some newspapers credited to the national president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Abdullahi Bodejo, in which he threatened that governors who refuse to establish cattle colonies also known as Ruga settlements will not know peace. “He was quoted as saying that ‘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." The governor said that Bodejo's utterances were inciting and direct invitation for anarchy, noting that 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 national president for persistently making statements capable of causing crises in the country. Bodejo in the same media reports had singled out Governor Ortom for vilification, saying the governor has been playing politics with the open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law to win sympathy and gain advantage," he said. He said the statement by Badejo was not only a threat to peace but also as prelude to another round of attacks on Benue communities by herdsmen militia. “As a state, Benue will not take the current threat by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore lightly. The law of the land is sacrosanct and must be obeyed by everyone. Any individual or group who wants to breed animals in the state should be prepared to ranch them,” he added.
        Obiaksnews reported last week that Governor Ortom ordered for the arrest of about 150 cows after his convoy bumped into them while he was carrying out a routine tour of some areas in the state. The governor said the wandering cows was a clear violation of the anti open grazing law in the state, those laws according to the governor were put in place to forestall any form of conflict or confrontation between farmers and cattle herders in the state. Benue state has had its fair share of conflicts arising from constant confrontations between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in local communities.

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