By Wisdom Nwedene
Just 48 hours after the recent mass burial and Benue indigenes are still mourning the death of their loved ones, the National Vice President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Herders Association Husini Yusuf Bosso has warned Ortom that he should be ready for another mass burial. I was shocked when I was going through what Yusuf Bosso was saying that at a point I started to wonder if he is a human being or an animal in a human form.
About 73 people were loaded on a truck in Benue State as if they are goods being conveyed to the owner but it didn’t touch Yusuf Bosso for him to keep quiet. In fact, let me go ahead to quote this man just for you to see how heartless he is.. According to him, Ortom should expect more bloodshed if he doesn’t eradicate the anti-grazing law.
”“We, the association wrote a letter to him, even met him. We told him that this law cannot work. We told them that there is an international cattle route from Niger to Eastern Nigeria. He said he will not allow cattle to pass through Benue state even if it is the cattle route. We told him that if he wants to implement that law, he must provide a land for us to rent. He did not provide any land for cattle herders. They have been in that state even before colonial days and co-existing peacefully. We advised him and he refused to listen to us. We are not against that law but he has to provide a land for these people before implementing such a law. If there is no land, there is a problem.”
“The law is saying that herdsmen should not pass through the state even if it’s a route to another area. In the past , if there was damage by the cattle , we had ways to settle the matter. When you damage a farm, you have to beg the owner , if they refuse, you pay for the damages. This has worked for us for years till Benue State decided to implement the anti-grazing law. We have challenged the law in court and till court decides which way forward, Governor Ortom will be held responsible for any further bloodshed. ”
In a civilized country, the statement quoted above is a strong evidence or clear indication that the nefarious act was carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State but it is very shocking that till this moment, some people are still saying that the act was not done by Herdsmen, I was completely dejected when IGP even said that the killings happening in Benue State is a Communal crisis. This is not a time of asking each state in Nigeria to provide a Colony for the herdsmen because that simply means the Fulanis having a land in each state and this seems to me as a total
Islamization of the entire country. Let the Fulani herdsmen go to any state that will accept them, buy land, settle their and do their the business.
What is good for the goose is also good for the gander, Buhari it is time for you to arrest Husaini Yusuf Bosso for his hate speech and also those behind the recent killings in Benue State, unless this is done, am afraid what happened in Benue State last few days may happen again.
(Wisdom Nwedene is a writer, Freelancer, newspaper editor and publisher. Contact : Nwedenewisdom@gmail.com)
