From: Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Fulani socio-cultural organisation, the Miyetti-Allah Kautal Hore, has lashed out at people that are criticising open cattle grazing, and advocating ranches as alternative to age-long open grazing practice by the herdsmen.

Their justification was that the cattle breed in Nigeria is not suitable for ranches and cannot survive being confined to a particular location for a long time.

National President of Fulani cultural group, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, who addressed journalists, in Abuja, insisted that the anti-open grazing law being championed by the Benue State Government would do more harm than good to the socio-economic life of the state if not reversed.

According to him, “It was also a breach of some sections of the 1999 Nigerian constitution which guarantee free movement of Nigerians. The cultural heritage of Fulani people was also violated by the law.”

He further told to newsmen that they have carried out series of scientific study/test to confirm the survival opportunity for the breed of cow in ranching environment and it failed woefully.

He said: “We tried ranching years before the coming of the anti-open grazing law in Benue state and it failed woefully. Our cow died few days after.

“If government is serious with the option of cattle ranching, then it beholds on them to buy-off the existing cattle from the herdsmen and replace them with different breed of cattle, perhaps procured from abroad, that could withstand ranching,” he suggested.

The National Secretary of the group, Alhassan Saleh, re-emphasised the need for state and non-state actors to prevail on the Benue State Government to stop the “persecution” of Fulani pastoralists via the anti-open grazing law.

He said: “Fulani pastoralists are peaceful set of Nigerians. But that should not be taken for granted. We have used several means to appealed to the Benue state government to reverse the law because of its implication on our socio-economic lives but that had failed.

“The patience of our people is running out. They are being pushed to the wall and that might force them to react some day, and their anger would be devastating. That was basically what we are trying to prevent.”

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Garus Gololo, has accused the state government of deliberate effort to push herdsmen out of Benue State where, he claimed, they have undoubtedly contributed immensely to its socio-economic development.

He said the state government’s claim that it had established pilot ranches in the three senatorial districts in the state was untrue and misleading.

He added: “We are outrightly against ranching. However, it takes several years to build a ranch. This is because the soil, grass and water will undergo several scientific studies.

“Other basic amenities like nomadic schools, veterinary clinic, market and other amenities are also expected to be provided for the use of both the herders and their cattle.”