Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Association, a Socio-cultural group, on Monday, called for the establishment of a ‘Federal Ministry of Nomadic Affairs’ with a mandate to broaden educational opportunities and address pastoralist challenges.
The group also knocked the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, over his stance on the anti-grazing law.
This was stated in a communique issued Monday and jointly signed by its National President, Abdullahi Bodejo, and its National Secretary, Mr. Saleh Alhassan, at the end of the expanded National Executive Meeting with State Chairmen of the association held in Abuja.
It also demanded the immediate designation, gazetting and development of all the 415 grazing reserves across the country.
It said: “The meeting called for the immediate designation, gazetting and development of all the 415 grazing reserves across the states of the Federation as the only first strategic step in addressing the challenges confronting Fulani herders in Nigeria.
“This will include building of earth dams and solar boreholes. Building of veterinary clinics. Development of dairy (milk) collection centres.”
The group noted with dismay the recent massacre of Fulani pastoralists in Taraba State and called on the Inspector-General of Police to set up a high-powered panel to unmask those responsible for the dastardly acts and ensure justice is done to the victims’ families to avoid people resorting to self-help.
“The meeting dismissed the consistent claims of farmers-herders conflicts as a major setback of instability and insecurity in Nigeria. But rather the conflicts are exacerbated by activities of states sponsored vigilantes and tribal hordes who wilfully continue to carry out extra-judicial killings of Fulani pastoralists.
“The leadership of the association also condemned the continuous profiling of Fulani pastoralists by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, through the anti-grazing law. It said the governor had been using the law to officially confiscate and auction cattle belonging to Fulanis in Benue-Nasarawa and Benue-Taraba border communities”.
