AN ethnic war may likely break out in Benue State very soon despite attempts by the state government to put a stop to the carnage that is ravaging the state. Fulani herdsmen are claiming that they own the Benue valley and had been there before the present ethnic groups, comprising the Tiv, Igede and Idoma. The three ethnic groups say the claim is laughable, but the herdsmen are sticking to their guns.
The perennial crisis among all these groups had claimed thousands of lives, especially since 2012 when it escalated. Some groups in the state put the figure at 2000, mostly Benue farmers with thousands of others maimed and displaced from their ancestral home. In 2014 alone, farmers were said to have lost about N94 billion to the herdsmen attacks.
Governor Samuel Ortom who was speaking with newsmen recently at his country home in Guma, said that 52 persons were killed in one day in 2014 when the herdsmen attacked his council area with farmlands worth several millions of naira lost to the carnage.
Five years down the line, Fulani herdsmen, according to the governor, have forcibly occupied 12 out of 23 local government areas of the state, leaving the original owners of the land to become refugees in their own lands.
Some of the council areas reported to have been forcibly occupied by herdsmen are: Ado, Agatu, Guma, Makurdi, Logo, Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Oju, Otukpo, Gwer West, Gwer and Kwande.
A few weeks ago, Governor Ortom signed into law the Anti-open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill, 2017. Also signed into law same day is the “Adoption, Hostage-taking, Kidnapping, Secret cult and Similar Offences Bill 2017.”
According to Terver Akase, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ortom, the anti-open grazing bill sponsored by the state executive is aimed at achieving the constitutional responsibility of government of providing a peaceful environment for residents of the state.
The highlights of anti open grazing law provide that anyone who engages in open grazing in Benue State will on conviction be liable to five years imprisonment. The law also provides for monetary compensation in case of any damage to a property and imprisonment of two years of the livestock owner or manager in case of injury to any person in the state.
“Where such contravention causes the death of any person within the state, the owner or manager of such livestock shall be guilty of an offense of culpable homicide punishable under the penal code law,” the law stated. It also provides that anyone who engages in cattle rustling shall be liable on conviction to an imprisonment term of not less than three years or payment of N100,000 per animal or both.
Hardly had the governor assented to the anti-open grazing bill than Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of ‘Miyeitti Allah Kaura Tore opposed the law. In driving home their point, the Miyeitti Allah vowed not to obey the law describing it as unjust which according to them violates their right of citizenship and movement as encapsulated in the constitution of Nigeria, saying it would take legitimate steps to reclaim their ‘land’.
Pan Benue socio-cultural groups made up of Mdzough U Tiv, Idoma National Forum and Omi NyIgede have described the claim by Miyeitti Allah as a ‘declaration of war on Benue’ and also vowed to return fire for fire.
The socio cultural groups led by their leaders; Edward Ujege, Adoya Amale and Ode Enyin, President Generals Mdzough U Tiv, Idoma National Forum and Omi Ny’ Igede respectively in a joint interactive session with newsmen recently, described the law as the only way to halt killings and restore peace in the state and they explained that the anti grazing law provides succor for both the herders and farmers in the state.
“The main objective of this Law is to bring to an end the wanton destruction of innocent lives of the Benue people in their hundreds and thousands, the monumental and callous pillage of farms and farm produce worth billions of naira.
“The consequences of these on the development of Benue State are unimaginable and will linger on for several decades. Let it be stated clearly here that the Law was therefore not aimed at undermining the economic or social interest of the Fulanis or any other ethnic nationality in Nigeria, “ the groups said in a joint statement.
While calling on their people to brace up for self defence in the face of further attacks by the fulani herders, the socio cultural groups vowed to seek the support of other socio cultural groups of other ethnic nationalities in the country to institute legal action against the leadership of the Miyeitti Allah.
The socio cultural groups while reacting to the assertion by Fulani/Miyeittii Allah claims of ownership of Benue valley said, “the claim that the Fulani were the original inhabitants of the Benue valley is absolutely ridiculous, preposterous and complete falsehood.
“There is neither historical, archeological nor anthropological evidence to indicate that the Fulanis ever inhabited the Benue Valley at any time before the advent of the Tiv people or any of the other ethnic groups of Benue State. What is a veritable and verifiable historical fact is that the forces of the 1804 Islamic Jihad led by the Fulani cleric, Usman Dan Fodio, were overwhelmingly defeated at the Ushongo Hills in Tivland.”
Lending his voice to the new law, leader of the Yoruba community in the state, Chief Isaac Akinkunmi commended the anti open grazing law stating that the law is coming at the right time considering the massacre of farmers in the state.
“This law is coming at the right time, because it is aimed at stoping the senseless killing by herdsmen, the law will protect farmers from the constant attack faced in the hands of herders.
“Though herders’ problem is a national one, it is a menace to us, that is why I embrace the law, but there is need to have grazing reserves alongside ranching. It takes time for ranching to be established; for instance, the moment the governor assented to the bill I have to evacuate my cattle running into 300 to my state.”
He advised the herdsmen to embrace the ranching of their cows, stating, ‘as resident of Benue you comply with laws of the land , adding that the activities of the herders opposing the law is tantamount to breaching the law of the land, ‘people have been tolerating the herders for a long time but this anti open grazing law will help to reduce killings in the state.”
Also lending his voice, the state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Dan Ale described the new law as the best thing to happen to the state in recent time. He added that the people of the state needed it to effectively end the lingering bloodbath. “We are all behind the Governor, the government and people of Benue state on this matter irrespective of our tribal and political divide, if you go to our rural communities and see what the people have gone through over the year you will have no choice but to support the enactment of the law,” he said.
Also, second republic minister of power and steel, Paul Wartaregh Unongo, lamented that the criminality brought into play by the herders has led to the carnage in Tivland and there is a need to protect lives and property which necessitated the enactment of the anti open grazing law.
“The prohibition of public grazing legislation is designed to give the people of Benue the opportunity to live in their communities peacefully without being massacred and sacked from their indigenous lands by the strange Fulani herdsmen,” he said.
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