Benue killings: What I discussed with Buhari – Ortom

President Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday, promised that 175, 000 people from Benue State that were displaced as a result of herdsmen attacks will soon be rehabilitated for them to go back to their homes.

The state governor, Samuel Ortom, quoted Buhari as giving this assurance after meeting with the president in a closed-door, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the meeting, Ortom explained that, “I am here first of all to thank Mr. President for the condolence visitor to Benue State after the killings and to also intimate him of where we are now. To also remind him about the request of Benue people when he paid that visit and to assure him that Benue remains committed to united Nigeria and to work with him in ensuring that we collaborate with the Federal Government to provide security for lives and property in Nigeria.

“Also to intimate him on the plight of over 175,000 IDPs that we have in eight camps. They have expressed their desire to go back home. And Mr. President is very passionate about their plight and have assured me that government will swing into action to ensure that rehabilitation is done to those homes that were displaced.

“Because, if they go back home, where would they go and live when their house were destroyed. That assurance has been given and he will also look at the other issues that we brought before him. It is quite assuring that it will be well and I want to thank the President for the support he has shown.

“I know that this crisis did not just start during his tenure, it precedes this government. When I was serving as minister, my ancestral home was destroyed, 53 people were killed and this was in 2013 when Mr. President was not yet here. But I think that what is important is the NEC sub-committee headed by the Vice President which is doing the needful.

“I believe that the meeting we held and the subsequent ones that we are going to hold will definitely proffer a solution to this perennial problem and we sought it out ones and for all. But we remain committed to our people and our ranching law and I believe that that is the way forward.

“Like I keep saying, if people have better options, let them bring it to the table. For us in Benue State, that remains the global best practice and Nigeria cannot be an exception especially when the land is decreasing and the population is increasing.

“The 20 million cattle in Nigeria cannot cope with open grazing, there is no doubt about that and a solution has to be created just as it is done in India with over 300 million herds of cattle, in Brazil 250 million herds of cattle and in America 300 million but yet, there has not been clashes like we have witnessed in Nigeria with just 20 million cattle.

“So, we must adopt global best practices and modern ways of animal house boundary, this will go a long way in helping us. And I think that for us in Benue, we are wining because even Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACABAN, have accepted that truly, ranching remains the best option.

“And we commend them and we will work with them to see how our law can wear human face to ensure that we have a win-win for all. And you will recall that the issue of cattle rustling is very major problem to the cattle rearers in Nigeria. Ranching will minimize this problem in Nigeria; it will minimize attacks on farms and encroachment on farms. So, we encourage everyone to work with us to ensure that we achieve this.”

On what has changed in Benue since the President’s visit, the governor said, “Well, there are some killings in flash points by these militia groups, the security men are doing their best, and a number of arrests have been made by the security agencies.

“It is still going on, even yesterday (Monday), there were killings but the security men are doing their best. I believe that we will overcome this. If not for the presence of the security men in our land, the situation would have really worsened than what it is today. I think that we are collaborating with the security agencies and are not leaving any stone unturned to see that we overcome this.”