Anti-Open Grazing: Ortom Doesn’t Hate Buhari, Fulanis – Benue Tiv Buharists

The Tiv National Volunteers for Buhari Worldwide and National Leader of Tiv Muslims Worldwide have informed Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom that he has no animosity toward President Muhammadu Buhari or the Fulani tribe.

Ortom appointed 14 Fulani aborigines into his government in 2015, according to Alhaji Sadiq Tyomanger, the group’s National Leader, also known as Tiv Buharist.

While supporting the state’s execution of the anti-open grazing law, Tyomanger made the remark.

Tyomanger said in a statement that Ortom once named Alhaji Garus Gorolo, the state’s Miyetti Allah leader, as Senior Special Adviser on Fulani Affairs.

According to Tyomanger: “It has become necessary to debunk the claims that His Excellency, Samuel Ortom, Executive Governor of Benue State hates Fulani ethnic nationals.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I am Alhaji Sadiq Tyomanger, the National Leader of the famous Tiv National Volunteers for Buhari worldwide. I also double as the National Leader of Tiv Muslims worldwide.

“It is on record that Governor Ortom, on assumption of office in 2015 appointed 14 Fulani aborigines into his Government including the leader of Miyetti Allah in the state, Alhaji Garus Gorolo who served as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Fulani Affairs. Gololo is of Fulani from Adamawa State.

“With all these appointments made to these sons and daughters of Fulani nationality, we can’t figure out where the Ortom Government has indicated any single trace of hatred on the fulani people as a tribe.

“It is unfortunate and pure act of mischief that rather than applaud Governor Samuel Ortom for his magnanimity to the Fulani as a race, criminal elements within their fold are bent on destroying the peace in the state thereby undermining the government and its people.

“This is evident in their total disregard to the Anti-Open Grazing Law of the state, unprovoked attacks on farming communities in the state and owing up to the killing in the media including on National TV.

“They have therefore, rendered hundreds of thousands displaced and are living in IDPs camps. It is disheartening and sickening.

“No nation of the world to the best of my knowledge apart from Nigeria is still talking about open grazing or cattle routes hence ranching is the only way to go when it comes to the business of animal husbandry.

“Let’s not forget that the entire Benue society is behind the Anti Open-Grazing Law of the state for the purpose of stemming the tide of incessant herdsmen/farmers crisis.

“Tiv Buharists are therefore, standing with Governor Samuel Ortom, the government and people of Benue State on the state’s Anti Open-grazing Law and its implementation. We are totally not in support of any grazing route of any kind in view of the increasing population density and fixed landmass. Any other archaic animal husbandry policy is rejected.”

He urged the Federal Government to consider ranching as a panacea to open grazing of cattle.

Tyomanger insisted that cattle grazing routes would not be possible in the State.

He said: “Why is the Federal Government not talking about ranching? Why are they suddenly insisting on going back to the impossible archaic cattle grazing routes?

“Let’s not deceive ourselves. The cattle grazing routes will not be possible in Benue State for now.”

He called on Buhari to exempt Venue State from the grazing route policies of the Federal Government.

“We are therefore calling on the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), to kindly count Benue out of his grazing routes policy and find a way of returning our farmers back to their ancestral homes.

“And, again if Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, has in one swoop, given appointments to 14 core Fulani nationals, cutting across Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi,
Adamawa, Plateau and Taraba states, and you still shout hate, then I don’t know how else to display love and brotherhood to Fulani as a tribe,” he added.