On The Threat By The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association
Of Nigeria To Unleash Terror On The State
On
Saturday, October 22, 2016, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of
Nigeria (MACBAN), the umbrella body of herdsmen in Nigeria openly threatened to
wage war against the government and people of Ekiti State, lying that four
cattle belonging to its member were killed by the newly inaugurated Ekiti
Grazing Enforcement Marshal (EGEM).
Four days after this threat was
issued against the government and people of Ekiti State by the Miyetti Allah,
the federal government is yet to act in any manner that will disabuse the minds
of Ekiti people, who believed that the federal government is in support of the
threat.
The silence
of the federal government has no doubt further confirmed the insinuation that
there is plot to give tacit support to the herdsmen to invade some border towns
and villages in Ekiti State and cause chaos in the State so as to justify the
evil agenda of declaration of a state of emergency on the State.
Nigerians
should be reminded that in May, this year, Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria said openly that the reason for the killing of over
1,000 people in Benue State was the killing of over 800 cattle by Tiv youths.
In other words, Miyetti Allah boldly told Nigerians that its members (herdsmen)
killed over 1,000 Agatu people of Benue State because their cows were killed!
Up
till today, no one has been arrested for the massacre in Agatu in Benue State
and now, Ekiti State and its people are being threatened by this same Myetti
Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and the federal government has
pretended as if nothing was wrong.
From
the words and antecedents of the Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of
Nigeria, it is clear that they have assurance beyond their personal minds from
the federal government to kill Nigerians in place of their cows. If not, by
now, the man who signed that press statement, threatening the entire people of
Ekiti State ought to have been arrested and questioned.
Therefore,
in view of the above, we wish to tell Nigerians and the entire world that in
the event of any invasion of Ekiti State by killer herdsmen, the federal
government should be held responsible.
The
herdsmen and those urging them on should also be informed that any attack on
one Ekiti person is an attack on all Ekitis and we shall not sit back and allow
our people to be killed under the guise of cattle rearing.
In
the event of federal government’s security agencies refusal to secure the lives
and properties of Ekiti people, the people will have no option than to defend
themselves. Our forefathers did same in the famous Kiriji War and we won’t mind
doing the same now!
I am
therefore using this opportunity to put Ekiti people, especially residents of
border towns in the State on red alert. Ekiti people must be prepared to defend
their land against these Philistines whose attributes and characters are
extremism, violence, bloodshed and destruction.
For
the avoidance of doubt, the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing
in Ekiti State Bill, 2016 that was signed into law on August 29, 2016 remains
in force. Nigeria is a federation and each State is empowered by law to make
laws to protects its people.
Therefore, the Miyetti Allah
Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria should rather tell its members to comply
with this law by seeking from the government designated land for grazing ranch,
which the government is always willing to give.
Five
cattle that were arrested last week are being kept in the government ranch and
their owners can take them back as soon as the necessary fines are paid.
It is
strange that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria kept
silent when its members killed two people and injured several others in Oke Ako
in Ekiti State. So strange that the same Miyetti Allah that defended the murder
of over 1,000 Agatu people of Benue State and kept silent when herdsmen killed
over 100 people killed in Enugu State and a traditional ruler was killed in
Delta State suddenly found its voice when Ekiti State government decided to
curb the murderous activities of its men.
Why
didn’t Miyetti Allah that is now calling on President Mohammadu Buhari to warn
me, the custodian of the mandate of Ekiti people warn its members when they
were killing Nigerians and destroying farmlands? Are their cows more important
than human lives?
To us
in Ekiti, lives of 5,000 cows cannot be equated with those of human beings that
are being killed daily by herdsmen across the country.
Miyetti
Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria should know that cattle farmers
are not different from other farmers. If they want to rear cows in Ekiti, they
should do so in accordance with the laws of the State. After all, law
prohibiting sale and consumption of alcohol was made in Kano State and the law
is being enforced while Sharia Law made in some States in the north is also
being enforced.
We
therefore want to appeal to all security agencies to be alive to their
responsibility of protecting the lives of Nigerians and their properties.
Ayodele Fayose
Governor, Ekiti State.
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