Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has responded to the threats by the leadership of the Miyetti Allah that it will sue governors in southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt who enact the anti-open grazing ban in their states.
Ortom said he was not afraid of the Fulani socio-cultural group as he is prepared to meet them in court.
In a statement issued today by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Terver Akase, Ortom insisted that Benue State has no land for herdsmen to graze on and the anti-open grazing law has come to stay.
“It is laughable that Miyetti Allah has threatened to sue governors in southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt who enact the anti-open grazing law,” the statement reads.
“What I will tell them is that I am not afraid of them and I am ready to meet them in any court of law.
“They can intimidate others but not me as I have never been afraid of them or their antics.
“I have told them repeatedly that Benue State has no land for open grazing. Let us meet in the court and see who comes out winners at the end of the day.
”Open grazing is neither on the exclusive nor concurrent list, so I don’t know on what basis they are going to approach the National Assembly.
“What Miyetti Allah does not know is that the National Assembly cannot enact laws for the state.
“The state has the power to make laws that will protect its citizens if it feels their lives are endangered.
“The National Assembly cannot go ahead and make laws as regards grazing because it is not in the exclusive or concurrent lists.
”Also, the resolution of the state government is not the law, it is the law of each state that is the law on the matter.
“Anybody who wants to challenge the law will have to pick on the state one after the other.
”They cannot challenge the resolution of the southern governors in court because it is not a justiciable matter.
“What they can challenge is the law enacted by the various states,” the statement said.
