The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, has said there are still reported cases of attacks on farmers by suspected herders in Benue State.
The Tiv paramount traditional ruler, who is also Chairman of the Benue State Council of Chiefs stated this in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of a three-day mediation and negotiation training workshop for Benue State Traditional Rulers.
Ayatse said, “Herders and farmers have been the major source of conflict in Benue State. For a farmer, who may have used a whole year to nurture his crops and you come and destroy it, that means you have brought his life to a crisis. And then he does everything to preserve the source of his livelihood.
“And because there is a change in strategy of the herders. In the olden days, they only move about with sticks and if they destroy any crops there were very apologetic about it. They would meet with the elders and reconcile and if they are payments to be made that would be done and everyone moves on. But now, they don’t bring sticks, they bring guns and modern ammunitions and begin to terrorise farmers that are unharmed.
“They kill our farmers, maim them and destroy their crops rendering the poor farmer poorer. This is the genesis of the crisis. It is not that farmers are against herders. We live together without any crisis but it is because of the change in the approach of the herders.”
The traditional ruler said that though Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law enacted by Governor Samuel Ortom limited the wandering of herders, the indigenes were still living in fear.
“The killing is still going on, especially at the border towns at the boundary of Benue with other states, especially at the northern flank. Herders steal, kill destroy and rape. They come at night to attack the farmers unaware.
“If they are really grazing they won’t come in the night to attack people in their houses. It is like they are not just looking for the grass to eat they also want to take over the land. I think the strategy has changed in violent confrontation and annexation of the people’s land”, he said.
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