‘Expect more bloodshed’ - Herdsmen association assures Benue Governor

The National Vice President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Herders Association, Husaini Yusuf Bosso, has issued out a warning to the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom and residents of the state, just few days after a mass burial was conducted for 73 victims of the herdsmen attack.

According to  Husaini Yusuf Bosso, the attack and more to come was due to the anti-grazing law  Governor Ortom instituted, and will only stop if it is scrapped. Sunnews reports that he went further to say that before the law came, herders have been sorting out their issues with farmers in the state but the Governor enacted the law without consulting stakeholders.

“We, the association wrote a letter to him, even met him.

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We told him that this law cannot work. We told them that there is an international cattle route from Niger to Eastern Nigeria. He said he will not allow cattle to pass through Benue state even if it is the cattle route.

We told him that if he wants to implement that law, he must provide a land for us to rent. He did not provide any land for cattle herders. They have been in that state even before colonial days and co-existing peacefully.

We advised him and he refused to listen to us. We are not against that law but he has to provide a land for these people before implementing such a law. If there is no land, there is a problem.

The civilian Joint Task Force that he introduced are inflicting pain on the Fulani herdsmen. They attack and seize their animals. They drag them to the nearest police station where huge amount of money is collected before they are granted bail. .

This is the cause of this problem. If you attack a cattle herder and collect his cattle, he has no choice but to attack. The law is saying that herdsmen should not pass through the state even if it’s a route to another area. .

In the past , if there was damage by the cattle , we had ways to settle the matter. When you damage a farm, you have to beg the owner, if they refuse, you pay for the damages.

This has worked for us for years till Benue State decided to implement the anti-grazing law. We have challenged the law in court and till court decides which way forward, Ortom will be held responsible for any further bloodshed” he said.