Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Fulani socio-cultural association, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (MAKH), has asked the Federal Government and traditional rulers to prevail on the Benue State Government to halt, forthwith, the harassment, intimidation and forceful dispossession of source of livelihood of its members.
The association lamented that the official and unofficial activities of the livestock guards responsible for the enforcement of Anti-Open Grazing Law have brought pain and misery upon the Fulani people in the state.
MAKH’s National President, Bello Bodejo, told journalists, in Abuja, that Benue State was not represented at the National delegates conference that ended, in Abuja last week, because the Fulani people have been displaced and are taking refuge in neighbouring states.
According to him, “Our people are displaced from their traditional source of livelihood by virtue of the anti-open grazing law in Benue state.
“At the last count, over 300 of our members have been thrown into jail because of the law.
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“Others have been killed extra-judiciously by police and other paramilitary officials allegedly recruited by the state.
“Our people are being harassed and intimidated in Benue. But we have approached the court to stop the implementation of the law and we are optimistic that justice will be given to us.”
Meanwhile, the association also raised the alarm that over 200 of its members had died of unknown disease that broke out in Dekina, Anyingba and other neighbouring communities in Kogi state.
It called on the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders to take urgent action to prevent the further spread of the disease.