Benue state government has called for the arrest and prosecution of leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and declaration of the group as a terrorist organisation.
The state government, which made its position known yesterday also described as “unrealistic, untenable and unacceptable” calls by the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kauttal Hore that a state of emergency be declared in Benue and Taraba states.
National President of the Fulani socio-cultural organisation, Abdullahi Belo Bodejo, had in the Sun newspaper of Saturday, 24th of March, 2018 called for a declaration of state of emergency in Benue and Taraba states on account of the lingering crisis between farmers and herdsmen.
Bodejo also alleged that Governor Ortom was using the anti-open grazing law to divert attention from issues of salaries and governance in the state.
But his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, said the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 was made to provide a permanent solution to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders.
He pointed out that many other states across the six geopolitical zones of the country were affected by similar crisis sometimes at a greater magnitude than the two states, yet the call did not include them.
“Incidentally, what Benue and Taraba states have in common is the enactment and implementation of ranches laws which prohibit open grazing.
“These laws were made to curb incessant clashes between farmers and herders that had taken a huge toll on human lives and property in the two states in accordance with the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended.
“Calling for a declaration of a state of emergency in the two states would tantamount to punishing these states that have performed their legitimate constitutional responsibility of enacting laws for good governance,” he added.
