Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his Taraba State counterpart, Mr Darius Ishaka, have hit out at the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, after he accused him of sponsoring the militia causing havoc in the states.
Sanusi claims Ortom training militia to attack the herdsmen.
During a meeting with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Niger State, Sanusi regretted the attitude of the states towards open grazing.
He said: “We hope that the Vice President will speak to the Governors of Taraba and Benue in particular, on the manner the militias have continued to implement these obnoxious and unconstitutional laws”.
“We hope that he will speak to the governors and the traditional rulers of the Bachama, the Tivs. This country cannot afford ethnic conflicts and hopefully we will sit down with them and find a way forward.”
Reacting to the statement, Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, absolved his principal of the allegations.
Akase argued that if the Governor was sponsoring the militia, they would not have launched an attack on the state.
Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ishaku on Media and Publicity, Bala Abu, described the allegation as “false and unfair.”
“The government has not recruited militia and is not involved in the training of such people anywhere in or outside of the state.
“The government advises the Emir to rather use his vantage position as a traditional and religious leader to complement the peace efforts of the government than raise unnecessary alarm capable of causing disaffection among the peace-loving people of Taraba State,” Abu said in a statement.
