By Dansu Peter
The President of the BYF, Terrence Kuanum who addressed media today in Makurdi said its solidly behind Governor Ortom on its call to President Buhari to declare Miyetti Allah as a terrorist group.
He said, " You will recall that on 30th May, 2017, Fulani herder groups in a very clear and confrontational manner held a press conference in Abuja which was widely publicised by national and international media. The herdsmen threatened and vowed to do everything possible to take over the Benue Valley which they claimed belongs to them. This was barely one week after the Benue State Government promulgated the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.
" That media outing was followed by series of others in similar fashion with the herders making more deadly threats to mobilize other Fulani men across West Africa to invade Benue and resist the enforcement of the Ranching law. They made it very clear that theirs is a struggle for the control of natural resources in this Valley and nothing would stop their bid to take over Benue as their legitimate entitlement.
"The conquest threats were timely reported to the Presidency and all relevant security agencies in Nigeria to avert the situation. Unfortunately, the Federal Government that swore by the constitution to protect lives and property gave deaf ears to all the petitions written to it by the Benue State Government.
"Expectedly, on the 1st of January 2018, the Miyetti Allah groups carried out their threats in the most brutal manner that has never been experienced in our land and they openly claimed the responsibility for the genocidal attacks. Sadly, instead of arresting the perpetrators, President Mohammadu Buhari urged us to accommodate our killers. It was one of the most bizarre statements to ever come from a Commander-in-Chief of any country.
" Governor Samuel Ortom’s opposition to the Federal Government’s attitude to the killing of his people pitched him against the terrorist headsmen and the Miyetti Allah groups who are determined to acquire the entire Benue State for their kinsmen to occupy.
"Gentlemen of the press, you are much aware of the antics of these groups either by direct confrontation, blackmail or the use of proxies to compel Governor Ortom to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. At event peace and security meeting, Miyetti Allah representatives and their allies always push for the amendment or outright repeal of the law.
"Sensing the determination of the Benue State Government to continue with enforcement of the law, those merchants of death have deployed their plan B which is to visit the state with more killings.
"A direct manifestation of the orchestrated plan is the ongoing unprovoked attacks on our communities by the Fulani terrorist groups who have been killing scores of people and destroying farmlands as well as other property worth billions of naira.
"Last week’s attack on Mbakpa community in Gwer West,Guma and Logo Local Government Areas where the armed herders slaughtered seven persons and injured many others quickly comes to mind.
"Being the proactive leader that he is, Governor Samuel Ortom wasted no time in calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists.
"As the umbrella body of Benue youths, we want to put it on record in unmistakable terms on this day the 24th February 2022 that, WE ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND GOVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM IN HIS CALL ON PRESIDENT BUHARI TO DECLARE FULANI HERDSMEN IN BENUE STATE AS TERRORISTS.
"The Federal Government has foot-dragged for too long on this issue. We recall that it took President Buhari just a matter of hours to designate IPOB as a terrorist organization even when the group had done nothing compared to the heinous crimes Fulani herdsmen have committed against Nigerians and Benue people to be precise" he said
The BYF said it expects Mr President to speedily make the declaration of armed herdsmen as terrorists so that the arrest and prosecution of their leaders can commence, to avert further loss of Benue lives in the hands of those mindless groups.
" We must also make it abundantly clear to whoever wants to listen that we will not let anyone take our land from us. We will defend our ancestral homes within the ambit of the law. Enough of impunity and intimidation!
" Any attempt through any forceful means or sponsored terrorist attack on our people will be met with commensurate resistance.
" We equally appeal to security operatives to uphold the highest professional standards in handling the herdsmen crisis. If security agencies remain true to their professional calling regarding the herdsmen crisis, those merchants of violence who are desperately trying to twist the narrative and absolve herdsmen of complicity in the killings even when the herders boldly come out to take responsibility, will be put to shame. The latest attack in Logo where some elements tried to blame members of Chembe community for killing themselves even before police could concude investigation into the killings was most unfortunate. This is an act of blaming the victim.
"The people of Benue State will continue to stand behind Governor Ortom to enforce the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law and will always report strange movements within their communities to the law enforcement agencies and other constituted authorities.
"The international community is hereby invited to beam its searchlight on Benue to unravel the planned attacks by Fulani terrorists whom the Global Terrorism Index rated as the fought most dangerous terrorist organization in the world.
"We youths of Benue are determined to see our people free from the constant fear of herdsmen attacks, and our determination is anchored on the timeless words of Martin Luther King Junior when he said and I quote:
“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed." he added
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