The umbrella organization of Fulani cattle breeders in Nigeria, Miyetti Allah, has outlined conditions that the Benue State government must meet in order to end the killings and crisis in the state.
The organization’s secretary, Usman Ngelzerma, said in a statement that the Benue State government must revisit its Anti-grazing Bill for peace to reign, adding that the approach is unacceptable to them.
“I like the Benue State governor. He is a peace-loving person but is working on wrong advice. The approach he took is wrong. You cannot change the way of life of a people like the way you turn off a light switch.
“We don’t wish for the crisis to continue but let us give it (the law ) another look. We don’t like the killings; we will never condone the killing of people. Give the farmers their rights but consider the pastoralists too.”
“The livestock guards have constituted themselves to the police and the court at the same time. They impose penalties on herdsmen, fine them huge sums of money before releasing them. That was the situation before this crisis erupted.”
“I was told that shortly before this crisis, the guards went to make some arrests in a particular community and they met stiff resistance from the Fulani because they were already tired of the persistent harassment from the guards, not the police or the DSS, army or constituted authority. This was what led to the violence and unnecessary deaths that followed which we do not condone.”