About 10 million cows belonging to members of the
Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria will be moved into Awe
Local Government Area of Nasarawa State from Benue following the enactment of
anti-grazing bill by the Benue State Government.
Chairman of MACBAN in the area, Alhaji Musa
Muahhed-Mati, who gave this figure in an interview with our correspondent, said
two million cows had been moved to Nasarawa as of Friday.
Muahhed-Mati, who expressed worry about the
action taken by Benue State government, explained that the association was
collaborating with the Nigerian Army, the police and other relevant
stakeholders in Nasarawa State to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
He chided Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State
for not finding alternative means of grazing for herdsmen before enacting the
anti-grazing bill.
He said, “Our major problem is fear of our cows,
particularly since farmers have yet to harvest their crops from their farms.
“We are in difficult situation. We are trying our
best to ensure that peace reigns between us and the host community in Awe.”
A farmer in Awe, Abigail Bitraus , said she had
to quickly rush to her farm to harvest her rice when she heard about the cattle
being moved in by the herdsmen; even though, it was not the appropriate time to
do so.
She said, “The large number of Fulani herdsmen
and their cows scare me. When I learnt that they were relocating from Benue
State to Nasarawa State, I had to rush to my farm to harvest my rice.”
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH,
Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State said he had already set up a
committee in all the local government areas adjoining Benue State to monitor
the movement and the migration of the Fulani herdsmen, warning that the
destruction of farmlands and attacks on homes would not be tolerated.
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