The three main socio-cultural groups in Benue State, on Friday, urged the federal government to effect the arrest of Myetti Allah Kautal Hore leaders to show its impartiality.
A statement signed by the presidents of the three groups: Mdzough U Tiv (MUT), CP Iorbee Ihagh (rtd); Ochetoha K’ Idoma’s AVM Tony Adokwu retired; and Omi Ny’Igede’s Dr Ben Okpa; noted that the call was in reaction to the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
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“We commend the federal government for its efforts which led to the arrest of Kanu and it is our belief that the government will ensure justice in this matter for the good of our country.
“As we commend the federal government for this feat as part of efforts to address insecurity in our great country, we wish to draw the attention of the FG to another security challenge that portends great danger to food and national security – the activities of militia herdsmen and their sponsors.
“We are deeply concerned and worried that the FG has refused to look inwards by arresting leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and other violent Fulani groups who openly threaten and carry out attacks on communities in Benue and other states of this country without any form of resistance.
“If the same energy expended in arresting Nnamdi Kanu can’t be applied to arrest ‘terrorists’ who are freely walking on the streets of Abuja and other cities of Nigeria, then it is questionable,” the group stated.
The group alleged that, in Benue State, militia herdsmen were 95 per cent behind insecurity and hunger just as they threaten, attack and claim responsibility for the killings.
“We wonder why the FG turns a deaf ear to such insolence.
“What a selective justice! It is our firm belief that in Benue State that anytime the FG decides that our people should go back to their farms to continue with their farming activities, decisive steps will be taken, chief of which is to arrest the masterminds of attacks on our people and to ask herdsmen to stay away from our state or better still, embrace ranching as the global best practice of animals husbandry,” the statement said.