George Okoh In Makurdi
Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State yesterday disclosed that he would be mediating along with his counterpart in Benue State, Samuel Ortom to bring about lasting peace between Fulani herdsmen and their hosts in communities in Benue and Nasarawa States.
The governor who had a meeting with Ortom on the issues of insecurity affecting the border towns of Agatu, Guma, Logo and Loko where herdsmen and farmers had had persistent crises over grazing, said they had agreed to visit Agatu Local Government Area in Benue State to mediate between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu indigenes .
He said there was a need for peaceful coexistence in the boundary towns of Benue and Nasarawa where both the Tiv people and Agatu people exist on both side of the divide.
He said he remained committed to achieving peace between residents of Agatu in Benue State and Loko in Nasarawa
The security council of both states, including traditional rulers would visit Agatu on January 18, 2017.
Meanwhile, following the lukewarm attitude of the Benue State House of Assembly (BSHA) in passing the Anti Grazing bill presented by the state government,the group yesterday led a peaceful protest to occupy the state assembly complex demanding that the bill be passed to forestall renewed attack by Fulani Herders on Benue communities.
Members of the group led by Reverend Father Moses Mffa, Nath Apir and Pastor Dave Ogbole chided the assembly for being insensitive to the plight of victims of Fulani herdsmen attack in the state.
According to Apir while addressing the Speaker of the assembly Terkimbir Ikyange said he was disappointed with the speaker for not keeping to the promise to pass the bill last year.
One of the victims the attacks, a Reverend Father, Solomon Mfa, lamented the inability of the federal government to check the excesses of the herdsmen whom he believes, have sinister occupation agenda asides grazing cattles in the Benue valley.
He said members of MAFO decided to occupy the assembly due to a no action by the assembly.
He warned the assembly that if the issue was not resolved on time, the Benue people would have no choice but to permanently occupy the assembly.
In his reply to the group, the Speaker Ikyange congratulated the movement for pressing for the passage of the bill, while also calling for time to enable the assembly to pass the bill.
He said there are some rough edges to the bill that needed to be sharpened up even as he assured that the assembly would be conducting a public hearing over the bill.
He also added that the assembly was aware of the plight of the victims of the attack and are making frantic effort to ensure such attacks do not re-occur.
The anti-grazing bill, when passed into law, would make it a criminal offence for anyone, including nomadic Fulani herdsmen, to graze livestock openly within the geographical boundaries of the state.
A total of 12 out of the 23 local government councils in Benue state, were reported to have witnessed intense herdsmen attacks in 2016, with many lives lost, properties and farm produce worth millions of Naira destroyed.
