Banditry: Again, Ortom Calls for Arrest of Miyetti Allah Members

George Okoh In Makurdi

Benue state government has called on security agencies in Nigeria to quickly arrest Miyetti Allah in order to stop banditry in the country.

This plea was contained in a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Media and Publicity, Mr Terver Akase, in response to a statement credited to the leadership of Miyetti Allah that the governor is profiling them as terrorists.

He said the statement credited to the Fulani socio-cultural group known as Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in which it accused Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom of profiling Fulanis and confiscating their cattle for auction.

“This is not the first time that the group has launched a smear campaign against Governor Ortom. Miyetti Allah groups have marked the governor, not only for victimization and vilification, but also for elimination. They don’t hide their evil intentions each time they speak about Governor Ortom.

” The groups have vowed never to obey the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law and have at various times since 2017 taken responsibility for the attacks on Benue people.”

“Their statement that Governor Ortom has been profiling Fulani, a claim which was in corroboration with comments of the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar is not only false but also mischievous. “Groups such as Miyetti Allah and Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM have never hidden or denied their ethnicity when they issue press statements to threaten peace-loving Nigerians. In most cases, their threats come to pass. If anyone is guilty of profiling the Fulanis, Miyetti Allah and the other groups fit that bill.”