The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has claimed that Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, hates Fulanis with passion.
The group made this claim in reaction to a request by the governor, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the association a terrorist organisation.
Ortom had, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nathaniel Ikyur, on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to declare the Miyetti Allah and the Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) terrorist organisations.
Ortom’s call, which came shortly after the federal government gazetted an order designating bandits as terrorists, said classifying MACBAN and FUNAM as terrorist groups would curb their excesses and reduce insecurity in the country.
However, while reacting to the call by the Benue Governor, the National Secretary of MACBAN, Baba Ngelzarma, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said Ortom should not be taken seriously as his hatred for the Fulani stock was well known.
“We are not at all surprised at the recent call by Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue State for the proscription of our association (MACBAN) going by his antecedents,” Ngelzarma said.
He alleged that the governor’s hatred for the Fulani was not in doubt, as he had proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was an “unreliable leader.”
“Ortom is a very unreliable leader whose stock in trade is fanning the embers of hatred between peaceful Nigerians that have been living in peace for many centuries.
“His hatred for the Fulani people is known by all and no one is surprised with his recent utterances.
“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to ignore this unpatriotic call by a wayward Governor who is hell bend on putting this country into unnecessary crisis.
“We are fully registered with the regulatory agencies with clear vision and mission to foster peaceful coexistence to our teeming members as well as serving humanity positively.
“We hereby advise Ortom to concentrate on delivering the dividends of democracy to the good people of Benue instead of chasing phantom shadows,” Ngelzarma said.
