The Benue Youth Forum, BYF, has issued a stern warning to herdsmen in the State on the aegis of the Miyetti Allah Koutal Hore.
The youths also called on the international community to beam its
searchlight on Benue to unravel and prevent the organised attacks on
communities by the Fulani organisation.
BYF was reacting to recent outburst by the President of Miyetti Allah
Koutal Hore Abdullahi Bodejo where he stated that the group will never
apologize to anyone for the killings.
Bodejo was also quoted to have threatened that Benue people will know
no peace until the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment
Law is repealed.
BYF in a press conference by its National President, Kuanum Terrence,
in Makurdi, the State capital on Wednesday, said, “On the 26th of
October 2019 Saleh Alhassan, the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah
Koutal Hore attended a wedding in Makurdi and publicly apologized to the
Executive Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom over the killings of
Benue indigenes by their members on the 1st of January 2018 when they
invaded our ancestral homes.
“The public apology was wildly televised and circulated by both
national and international media positing that members of the group
would henceforth respect the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Law of
Benue State.
“Expectantly, the conquest agenda of the Miyetti Allah Koutal Hore
and other Fulani violent groups which stated clearly during their Abuja
press conference of 30th May 2017 could not be hidden for so long.
“The publication in Saturday Sun of 2nd November 2019 saw the
President of Miyetti Allah Koutal Hore Abdullahi Bodejo stating that the
group will never apologize to anyone for the killings. He also went
ahead to threaten that Benue people will know no peace until the Open
Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law is repealed.
“Benue State’s opposition to open grazing which angered the herdsmen
to invade the land and kill hundreds of innocent people has remained
unchanged. OUR RESOLVE TO SAY NO TO IMPUNITY WILL NEVER BE COMPROMISED
NO MATTER THE AMOUNT OF THREATS FROM MIYETTI ALLAH GROUPS AND OTHER
FULANI SOCIO-CULTURAL ORGANISATIONS.
“The agenda of these groups is anchored on conquest of more lands for
their cows. In order to carry out the occupation plot smoothly, they
have strategized that the best approach is to destabilize Governor
Samuel Ortom’s government. This explains the unwarranted provocation
which started with an apology from the Secretary of Miyetti Allah Koutal
Hore quickly followed by the denial and threat from President of the
group, Bodejo. A direct implication of the orchestrated plan was to
ambush Governor Ortom at his in-law’s wedding and pretend to apologize.
“Having lost abysmally in the ambush on the Governor, they have
resorted to granting press interviews and openly threatening our people
so they would have the opportunity to create unnecessary tension and
crisis in the state.
“The good thing is that Governor Ortom has restated his commitment to
implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches
Establishments Law. This is our firm stand too.
“The entire Benue State is fully mobilized to defend its laws and
land against any threat posed by members of Miyetti Allah Koutal Hore
and any other violent group. We are a peace loving and law abiding
people but our peaceful and hospitable disposition should not be taken
as fear or lack of courage. No part of Benue will be given to enemies of
the state.”
“We are solidly behind Governor Samuel Ortom and his administration
to continue with implementation of the ranching law of the state. Those
who want to rear livestock in Benue State should do so by ranching the
animals.
“The Federal Government through the National Emergency Management
Agency, NEMA should immediately rehabilitate the over 200,000 people in
various IDP camps to enable them return to their ancestral homes.
“The N10 billion Federal Government promised to release for
resettlement of those affected by the crisis is yet to be actualized.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration should fulfill its promise now to
avoid further hardship on victims of the herdsmen attacks in Benue
State.
“The Benue Youth Forum will not withdraw its cases against the
Miyetti Allah groups for the genocide they carried out in Benue State
until justice is seen to have been done to our people.
“We urge the Inspector General of Police and DG of DSS to immediately
arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as chief sponsors of
violence in Benue State.
“The international community is hereby invited to beam its
searchlight on Benue to unravel and prevent the organised attacks on our
communities by Miyetti Allah Koutal Hore and other violent Fulani
groups,” he said.