From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Muslim community in Benue State has expressed its support for the anti-open grazing law recently enacted by the Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration.
Giving the position of the community, on Wednesday, at the Benue House, in Makurdi, while breaking the Ramadan fast with the Governor, leader of the Muslim community, Sheik Ibrahim Aliyu, said those criticising the law were ignorant of the content and intent of the law, adding that the law was not out to target any particular ethnic group, faith or sect.
Sheik Aliyu said that Muslims who know the extent of the carnage and destruction done to lives and properties in the state by armed herdsmen would stand solidly behind Governor Ortom. He also explained that the law was put in place to safeguard the lives and properties of people of the state.
Aliyu hinted that the Muslim faithful in the state would soon undertake a tour of the far North to explain the content and intent of the law to fellow Muslims who are being misled to attack Governor Ortom.
In a remark, Governor Ortom, who was represented by his deputy, Engr. Benson Abounu, thanked the Muslim community for standing up for truth and supporting the honest attempt by the state government to tackle the incessant farmers/herders clashes in the state.
While noting that the enactment of the law was the best thing to do, the Governor added that inspite of the threats and criticisms from certain quarters, there is no going back on its implementation.
Governor Ortom praised the excellent relationship between Christians and Muslims in the state and maintained that there is no reason for adherents of the two faiths in the state to fight stressing that those killing and destroying lives and property are not true Muslims or Christians as the two faiths preach peace and good neighbourliness.