The killing of innocent people
in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen has continued to raise dust. People must
be itching to hear that arrest has taken place which is exactly what must be
done. The perpetrators should be prosecuted without too much talking. But this
is Nigeria and anything can happen. Will this case again be treated like
nothing? Will it again be swept under the carpet? Well let’s keep our hands
crossed and see what happens.
Meanwhile, Benue State
governor, Samuel Ortom, in an interview with newsmen spoke on the New Year
attacks and killings on account of the anti-open grazing law and the consequent
protests. He said that the right thing to do is for the Federal Government to
wake up to its responsibility and arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal
Hore who did not hide its feelings but threatened to frustrate the anti-open
grazing law, adding that if the Federal Government do not do this, then they
are simply saying that Benue State is not part of Nigeria.
Femi Fani-Kayode was very blunt about the matter. In his tweet, he said, “Buhari
is using his Fulani herdsmen to wage a silent genocidal jihad. 120 innocent
souls slaughtered like "point and kill" catfish and the very next day
he appoints a DG for his 2019 press campaign organization. How can anyone be so
cold, callous, cruel and insensitive”? I thank God for honest people.
On the interview involving
Benue State Governor, Nigerian Tribune of January 6, 2018 has the reports.
The killings in
some parts of Benue State on the New Year Day were followed by violent
protests. What is the situation now sir?
What
started as a very peaceful demonstration from the students of Benue State
turned into a rowdy situation, but I understand, I can feel the anger of the
people. Even me as a leader, I had to control myself when I saw the level of
damage that was done against my people. But in situations like this, the simple
message I was trying to pass to the youths and the rest of Benue people is to
remain calm.
This
government is proactive and will continue to be proactive in ensuring the
security of lives and property. The promulgation of open grazing law was an
initiative of the Benue people and it is very popular among the people. For us,
that is the only way we can ensure peace for farmers and herdsmen to coexist
and live together.
Ranching
is the global best practice; there is no other alternative and, even up till
today, I know that there is no other alternative. I want to appeal to my people
to remain calm. In situations like this you cannot think of reprisal or anger
to be a solution to the problem that has been caused. As a law-abiding people,
let us continue to be law-abiding and ensure that the perpetrators are brought
to book. I have reported this to President Muhammadu Buhari; I have reported to
the security agencies and they are working towards it. I have repeated my call
that the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, should be arrested. I had
earlier given this notice to the security agencies and reported these people to
the presidency because they came out boldly and said they were going to resist
the law and they will do everything possible to sabotage what we are doing.
How far has
government gone to calm frayed nerves?
Since
when we got wind of this incident, we did not waste time. I had to break from
our Security Council meeting and I personally visited two scenes of the
incident in Guma and Logo local government areas. I was to complete the visit
to the remaining two scenes, but unfortunately time has caught up with me. But
we have already, with the Security Council, done the deployment of security
agents to all the places and I am appealing to the people not to begin to run
away from their villages until we are able to handle this.
The splinter
group of Miyetti Alla Kautal Hore had in the past threatened to frustrate the
anti-open grazing law…
I
think the right thing to do is for the Federal Government to wake up to its
responsibility and arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore who did
not hide its feelings and came out and said this. If the Federal Government
does not do this, they are telling us that we are not part of Nigeria and it
will be unfortunate because it is the responsibility of the Federal Government
to provide security for us. The security apparatus of this country belongs to
the Federal Government and they have the capacity.
This
people are known, I have reported them to the president and, currently, they
have taken us to court. They issued several press statements and threats
against us and their threats have become reality. They are living in Abuja with
the Federal Government, so why can’t the Federal Government do something?
If
they are not arrested, they are throwing us into a state of anarchy which is
wrong. We have done everything to ensure that peace prevails here. I want to
assure all people living in Benue State that we will continue to protect them,
provide security for lives and property. But let us restrain our anger, although
it is painful. I understand and feel the pains of Benue people; I feel the
pains of Benue youths; I feel the pains of mothers; I feel the pains of fathers
whose relations have been murdered in cold blood, but I want to assure them
that justice will take its course. This law remains a law in Benue State and
there is no going back on it. The perpetrators must be brought to book and I
can assure you that Benue will be well.
There is a debate
going on about community policing and it seems that you are handicapped and you
are not in a position to issue a command for an immediate action. Does this
make you see the need for state police in the country?
Concerning
the issue of state police, I remain committed to democratic principles. It is
not for me to decide whether we should have state police or not but if the
people, the stakeholders of Benue State, agree, I will have no objection to
having state police. But this is something that has to be subjected to a debate
and we get the inputs of all stakeholders so that we weigh the various options.
The federal and state police, what are the implications that will be when we
have state police? We will weigh them and once we agree, can make our position
known. Whether state police or federal police, what is important is for the
police to enforce the law. That is what I am saying. Police must enforce the
law; let there be no sacred cows as we are seeing today. I have reported
Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, their president and secretary; these are two persons
who persistently alerted us that they are going to come into Benue State to
cause havoc and they have done it. I am repeating that call; if there is
another place where I can take my case, I will do it. I have no option, but I
believe that I reported this to the president and he assured me that he would
get the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to act and I believe that that will
be complied with and, until that is done, I am not going to rest.
Aside the
communities that were attacked for two days, are there other ones that have
been attacked?
The
attacked communities, like I said, we visited Tomatar where a lot of people
were killed. This is also part of Guma, but on the other side of the river and
I also visited Azege in Logo local government area where people were also
killed and some were wounded. I also visited the temporary refugee camps in Tse
Abi and Agenke in Guma Local Government Area and Ayilamo in Logo Local
Government Area. There are other two places that were also attacked in Umenger
in Guma Local Government Area. This is the other side of the river and also in
my council ward in Ako. These are the two sites that I am yet to visit, but I
intend to do so. Some people were wounded and some were also killed there too,
but I’m yet to get the full brief from there.
While you were
going round to inspect some flashpoints in Tomatar, you were said to have come
across some bullet proof vests with the colours of the Nigeria Army. How true
is this?
On
the bullet proof vests, I was also told, but I am yet to see them; I am
waiting. It was when I left that I received a phone call, but in situations
like this, you don’t act on rumour. I have heard a lot of things, but I am
waiting to confirm because coming from me will mean that it is authentic
information and so you have to be careful to be sure of what you are saying as
a leader, otherwise you will create other challenges which you may not be able
to control.
You went out to
address the youths that were protesting the killings and you were almost
killed, having told the Federal Government that there is a level to which you
can control your people. What can you say about the sad development?
On
the incident, you can feel the anger,; you can see the anger of the youths and
so I also feel the pains, I am also angry but the Bible says be angry, but do
not let the sun go down on your wrath. So, even when you are angry, you have to
find a way of controlling it, otherwise you will mess up yourself. So that is
why I am appealing to youths, for it is said that two wrongs cannot make a
right. We can’t solve this problem by creating another wrong. Government is on
top of the situation as at today. The Security Council met and it is still
meeting. It was as a result of the blockage that the Security Council decided
to move to the scene and appeal to the youths to allow free movement, but it
became rowdy. But like I said, these are really very sad days for Benue State.
Corpses were brought to the mortuary and when we visited more corpses were
being brought in and even today more corpses were discovered. So, you can see
the anger of the people and that is why government must act.
One
thing that will give the people confidence is when the president and the
secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore are arrested and prosecuted because
there is enough evidence about what they have done and I am accusing them
directly and I expect that to be done. Since I have reported to the president,
I am waiting to have a response from the security agencies because people
should not operate with impunity. If we do that and everybody decides to take
laws into his hands, then we are calling for anarchy and you don’t know the
extent that can go.
Challenges
are meant to be overcome and I believe that God will help us to definitely
overcome this and I believe that, tomorrow, those who are resisting this law
(the anti-grazing law) will celebrate it for there is no way of moving forward,
arising from the challenges that we have today in Nigeria on land. The land is
no longer there and I will continue to say it. We are farmers and there is no
way we can surrender our land again for grazing. All business people who are
willing to go into cattle-rearing business are free to obtain permit and do ranching
in Benue State.
Brought to you by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi
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