Leadership of Fulani pastoralist groups yesterday rose from an emergency meeting in Kaduna, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to call Governor Samuel Orthom of Benue State to order over the anti-open grazing law in that state.
They vowed to do everything legally possible to resist any law that is against their culture, movement and economic interests.
Their position was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the National President, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultural Association, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejor, the Secretary, Engineer Saleh Alhassan, and Chairman Communiqué Drafting Committee, Garus Gololo.
They condemned the call by “some desperate and jobless groups agitating for the profiling and stigmatisation of Fulani pastoralists in Nigeria.”
They affirmed “support and solidarity for the legal action taken by the Miyetti Allah Kautal HoreFulani Socio- cultural Association to challenge the negative Benue anti- grazing law at the Federal High Court, Abuja.”
Pastoralists, like all citizens of Nigeria,they added “have the right to move freely and to reside in any part of the country. They also have a right to own property in any part of the country and enjoy the right of freedom from discrimination like any other citizen of the country.”
They urged the National Assembly to live up to its responsibility “because the inter-state movement of pastoralists is analogous to inter-state commerce, which is an exclusive preserve of the legislative powers of the National Assembly under item 62 of the Exclusive Legislative List. To this effect, any action taken by a state Assembly is in conflict with above section of the 1999 constitution as amended.
Continuing,the groups said:”We are calling on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Inspector General of Police, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and our royal fathers to call the Benue State Governor to order as his actions and continuous threat to the leadership of the Fulani pastoralists by the governor are a serious threat to peaceful coexistence.
“We appreciate the efforts by the federal and state governments in addressing the security challenges facing the Fulani pastoralists, particularly cattle rustling , kidnapping and banditry.
“We totally condemn the attempt to profile the Fulani race and urge the press should investigate the veracity of their stories before going to press.
Representatives of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Funali Socio-Cultural Association, Tabital Pulaaku Nigeria Chapter, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Mobgal Fulbe Development Association, Gam Allah Fulani Development Association, Fulani Title Holders Association, Pastoral Resolve (PARE), Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association attended that meeting.