From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Recently, the leadership of the socio cultural groups of the three major tribes in Benue State, the Mdzough U Tiv, Idoma National Forum and the Omi Ny’Igede were at the Government House in Makurdi where they raised the alarm over an alleged impending invasion of the state by herdsmen in November. In this interview, President General of Mdzough U Tiv, the Tiv Socio cultural group, Chief Edward Ujege explained why they had to take that step. He also spoke on other salient national issues.
What has prompted the unease in Benue State and the alarm being raised over alleged impending attacks in the state by herdsmen?
The leadership of the three major tribes in Benue State are worried about the misfortune that befell us leading to the wanton killing of our people and destruction of our property by herdsmen. The thing became so terrible that we had to call on the state government to do something. And due to our outcry, the government, through the House of Assembly following due process, enacted a law which is now known as the open grazing prohibition law to check the conflict between herdsmen and farmers in the state due to the limited land and the growing population in the state, considering that our people are basically farmers.
When this law was enacted in good faith, which called for the establishment of ranches, the Miyetti Allah vowed that they would resist it by all means available to them. They even threaten to go to court to challenge it but that did not bother us. However, our major source of worry now is the privileged information we gathered that they are amassing at the Nigerian/Cameroon border, both cows and militia and in Nasarawa State at the border with Benue State just waiting for the right time to move into Benue and attack the people.
We are deeply concerned that the alleged heightened preparations to invade Benue with large mass of cattle and militia is to truncate the impending take-off of the anti-open grazing law scheduled for the 1st. of November, 2017. We believe the plan is to make the law unenforceable if the authorities have no means to contain the influx of the cattle and the herdsmen. This invariably could lead to conflicts between farmers and the herdsmen and thus giving them the excuse to initiate and execute their plan to annihilate us and take over our God given land and inheritance. Unfortunately, our calls for action from the federal government have been falling on deaf ears as nothing has been done to call them to order.
It will interest you to know that in 2014 alone over half a million people were displaced in our state and the future of almost a million youths truncated in the various attacks carried out by the herdsmen while properties worth over N95 billion were destroyed. Yet not a single person has been arrested or prosecuted for these dastardly acts.
We feel threatened because we know what they can do, we have experienced it before. They have even claimed that they settled in Benue before us, which means they now want to come and occupy the land and we will have nowhere to go. We have gone to the governor to raise the alarm and to tell him to reach out to people of goodwill to come to the rescue of the people of Benue State. Moreover we are approaching the dry season, we also had information that the herdsmen met in Nigeria and outside the country to strategise on how to invade our communities. Under normal circumstances we would have felt that it would not happen but we had in the past experience such so the earlier we let the world know, the better for us before it becomes late. Just few days ago we heard of the killings in Plateau State. Why is the federal government not doing anything about it, are they happy seeing people killed just like that, are they happy seeing the sources of livelihood and property of helpless people destroyed? These are the questions begging for answers. We are appealing to those in authority to check their consciences, have they done enough to prevent this mayhem being visited on our people?
What do you think could be the reason for this latest threat?
It is actually because of the new law. But the point is that if they adhere to the law it will be a win- win situation for the herdsmen and farmers. It will check the amount of killings and damages everyone suffers. The fact of the matter is that the said law in is in compliance with the provisions of the Nigerian constitution. It has no provision that is anti people. It ensures peaceful coexistence and the protection of lives and property of everyone.
What is the position of the people of the state on the enactment of the new law?
We are solidly behind Governor Samuel Ortom, our support for him is 110 percent. Come rain come shine we are with him. And come November 1st which is the date for the commencement of the implementation of the law, whatever legal means or action that is taken we are with him. We will make sure that the law is applied to each and everyone. I may also wish to remind you that the law is not only about cows, fortunately it is about every animal or livestock and owners, irrespective of who you are or where you are coming from. The law applies to everyone in Benue State but unfortunately it is only one group that is kicking against it. So when the law comes into being, even our people who breed animals are going to be affected.
Do you really think that the prohibition of open grazing could help curtail the crisis between herdsmen and local farmers?
I don’t even believe that as a country we can continue to go on with cows roaming the streets of our country. If it were possible, developed countries like Britain, America and others would have allowed animals to roam the streets in London, New York and others. In these countries they have huge land mass but they do not allow animals on the roads because there are immense advantages to have these animals confined in ranches. With ranching, you check transmission of diseases, the animals get fatter and the returns on the animals are higher, they get more milk, they sell for more. They make good economic gains through better animal husbandry.
When I was born 70 years ago there was land and the herdsmen could move freely but now before you could move from one piece of land to the other, you go across houses and cultivated farmlands and food barns. So everything has changed and we are supposed to move with the trend of time.