The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has told the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore that he is ever ready to meet them at the International Criminal Court (ICC) of Justice.
Earlier on, a statement credited to the Secretary General of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Saleh Alhasssn, said the group has already approached the ICC in The Hague to file a suit against Governor Ortom for allegedly seizing over 25,000 cows belonging to his members and detaining over 4000 herders.
In his reaction to the reported court action, Governor Ortom reiterated his readiness to meet them in court saying: “Tell Miyetti Allah and all its leadership that I am ready to meet them in court, anywhere.
In his words; “Let those who are threatening to take me to court understand that every law is meant to be obeyed. For the avoidance of doubts, Benue people agreed for the law to be implemented.
We are therefore enforcing the law. And anybody willing to do business in the state must abide by the law. I have done what is right and legitimate to protect my people from further killings. That is what constitutional democracy demands,” the Governor stated.
He insisted that “instead of Miyetti Allah directing their members who wish to live and do business in Benue State to abide by the law, they have continued to sponsor acts of terror against Benue people, killing and destroying properties worth billions of naira. As we speak, there are over 2 million of our Benue people living as refugees in IDP camps.”
Ortom also dismissed claims that officials of the Benue State Livestock Guards arrest cattle from neighbouring states.
“It is laughable to say that Benue State officials of the Livestock Guards go into Taraba or Nasarawa States to impound cattle. We know the boundaries between Benue and other states. As such, our officials do not go outside of the state boundaries to make any arrests of herds of cattle that violate our laws,” the Governor insisted.
“We have documented evidence of threats and actual killings by Fulani terrorist groups who have been sponsored by Miyetti Allah to carry out violence against communities in the state.”
“The State Government has also compiled the atrocities of Fulani terrorists against Benue people and we are also demanding compensation from the Federal Government for the atrocious activities of Fulani terrorists in Benue State which have led to the killing of over 5,000 of my people, sacking of various communities, destruction of property worth billions of Naira and displacement of over 2 million people by these herdsmen. Make no mistake about this, I will continue to defend my people from this premeditated annihilation. The law is made to be obeyed. No compromise.”
