Benue state governor Samuel Ortom has accused the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore of being behind the killings in Benue state that has lefts scores of people dead.
Ortom while speaking to reporters in Makurdi the state capital said the recent arrest of one Aliyu Teshaku and others by the Nigerian troops in Guma Local Government Area of the state was an attestation to his earlier assertions that the fulani herdsmen were solely responsible for the attacks on farming communities in the state.
Until his arrest, Aliyu Teshaku, who the Army described as Aminu Yaminu was the head of the Benue State Livestock Guards.
According to Ortom, security agencies are at liberty to arrest, detain and investigate anyone, who they may suspect to be involved in security breach or perpetuating insecurity and the arrest of Teshaku is one of such.
“I made a statement through my assistant after his arrest that due process should be followed; he should not be victimized but security men should be fair to him. He should be investigated and if at the end he is found culpable, he should be prosecuted.
“So I don’t want to talk about the arrest other than to say: let the needful be done; let there be no victimisation. If at the end aninvestigation is carried out and he is culpable, let that be.”
“I’ve said it repeatedly; I’ve written and will continue to write and continue to raise alarm that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore are responsible for the killings; for the mercenary work that is going on in Benue State.
“I still want to repeat that they are responsible. There are evidences; they are on tape, they have done press conferences and none of them have come out to refute what was credited to them in the media. They’ve said it is about Jihad; it’s not about grazing. They said it is about occupation; about taking over the land,” he said.
He praised the army for the recent arrests and called on the troops to intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the group.
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