The Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has reacted to the allegation by Miyetti Allah cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), whose chieftain Garus Gololo had accused the state government of arresting over 2000 cows.
The Benue state government through the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Ortom, Terver Akase said Gololo was seeking cheap publicity.
The statement by the CPS against the Fulani group reads, “Garus Gololo is a rabble-rouser who is seeking cheap publicity. Each time herdsmen attack a Benue community, Gololo would raise a false alarm that Fulani cows were rustled before the attack even occurred.”
“His recent claim is that more than 2,000 cows which belong to herders were impounded by Livestock Guards and that many of the cows were secretly being killed in the quarantine unit.”
“This is a tactic to divert attention away from the heinous crime committed by the herdsmen militia. Last night, armed herdsmen attacked Tarhembe village of Mbawa in Guma Local Government area killing three persons and leaving many others injured. Perhaps Gololo was privy to the attack, that’s why he spoke to the press a few hours before the killings.
“Governor Ortom will never join issues with that man despite his constant verbal attacks on the person and office of the Governor.
“Miyetti Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore already disowned Gololo, so he possibly can’t be speaking for those groups.
He obviously represents himself.
“Sometimes he calls himself an APC chieftain and at other times as spokesman for Fulani herders. The man is a crisis enterprise. He is one of those who do not want an end to the killing of innocent people in Benue and other parts of the country so he can continue to market his “wares”.
