Gyang Bere, Jos
National Chairman of Berom Youth Molders Association (BYM), Choji Dalyop Chuwang, has declared that any attempt to forcefully set aside land for cattle ranches or colonies in Plateau State as declared by Governor Simon Lalong will lead to a serious security breach in the country.
He criticized President Muhammad Buhari for directing states to carve out Nigerian land for cattle colonies to killer herdsmen who he suggested are from Libya and other countries.
Chuwang disclosed this yesterday during a press conference in Jos and refuted allegations by Governor Lalong that youths were being sponsored by past the PDP government to destabilize his administration and its ranching policy.
He complained about sack of about 54 villages and the forceful take over of land by Fulani herdsmen in Riyom and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas for grazing.
“The land we have has the same value and worth to us as the cattle of the herdsmen, both local and foreign. Therefore, taking over our lands for cattle colonies or ranching will not only mean destroying us to enable the herdsmen to live, but also legitimizing forceful occupation of our ancestral heritage by the herders, and that will create security breach.
“Our people have been traumatized, several killed and property destroyed to make them flee their ancestral homes which are now being forcefully occupied by the same Fulani herdsmen. It is on record that 54 communities such as Dankum (Mahanga), Fass (Tafawa), Janda, Rotchun, Maseh where late Sen. Gyang Dantong was killed, among others, were completely sacked and their inhabitants displaced in Riyom and Barkin-Ladi LGA.”
He cautioned Governor Lalong, who in an interview spoke about land supposedly voluntarily donated to government by some communities for cattle ranching and colonies, and said no community has willingly donated land in the northern senatorial zone.
Choji lamented that their already overstretched land should not be tampered with to settle foreigners and killer herdsmen.
He noted that the President had said the herdsmen come from Libya, while the Minister for Information Lai Mohammed claimed they are not Nigerians, questioning the motive behind the Federal Government’s directive to all 36 states to donate land for cattle colonies.
“In May 2016, President Buhari told us that the killer herdsmen are from Libya. One week after, Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed told us that the killer herdsmen are not Nigerians. On January 24, 2017, Chairman of Northern Governor’s Forum said the killer herdsmen are foreigners from Senegal and Mali. If this is true, why does Buhari’s Government still want to give these same herdsmen Nigerian land as cattle colonies?”
He urged the President to declare the herdsmen as terrorists just like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has not launched attacks anywhere in the country but are tagged a terrorist group by the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Plateau State Police Command, Tyopev Marthias Terna, said he will continue to do his best to stop the cycle of violence and attacks in the state.