The Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty Iortese James Ayatse has mentioned that the individuals of Benue won’t tolerate the tradition of killing, rape and different types of impunity from killer herdsmen in invading communities within the state.
Talking throughout a stakeholders’ city corridor assembly attended by President Bola Tinubu in Makurdi on Wednesday, Ayatse accused the management of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Affiliation of Nigeria (MACBAN) of permitting the killer herdsmen to infiltrate their group.
Addressing the killing of residents of Benue State of their a whole lot by these killer herdsmen, Ayatse emphasised that the problem on the bottom just isn’t a easy herder-farmer conflict however a calculated marketing campaign of genocide and land seizure.
Tor Tiv’s comment adopted a query raised by the chief of MACBAN on the assembly when he requested, how do you pressure a individuals to vary their tradition?
The MACBAN chief was referring to the nomadic nature of Fulanis who’re popularly recognized for herding their livestock searching for grazing areas.
Nevertheless, in his response, Ayatse mentioned that, over many years, the individuals of Benue have lived in concord with herders.
He, nevertheless, lamented that the crop of herders who presently invade their communities are armed with assault rifles, kill, foremost and rape the individuals of the state.
He additionally criticised the narrative that Benue individuals ought to “be taught to reside with their neighbours,” suggesting that President Bola Tinubu is being misinformed by heads of related safety businesses.
The Tor Tiv known as for the “mechanics” – presumably referring to reliable herders – to cope with the “mad males” – the felony parts amongst them.
Insisting that the disaster within the state just isn’t a cultural concern however a felony one, Ayatse urged that such actions should finish instantly and that the neighborhood will solely settle for peaceable coexistence after the felony parts are expunged from the state.
His phrases, “That’s not the tradition we all know, what we have now now are felony herders carrying assault rifles, killing our individuals, maiming them, raping our ladies and our daughters, dispossessing us of our lands.
“And even once we harvest our crops and convey them house, they arrive to our houses, destroy our homes, carry out our harvest for his or her cows to eat.
“Is {that a} tradition? No! I encourage to defer. Any tradition that’s killing individuals, maiming individuals, taking up their livelihood, and burning their property, doesn’t require one-second discover. That tradition should finish instantly,” the Tor Tiv insisted.