Ortom Replies Emir Sanusi, ‘Fulani Herdsmen Known As Aggressors Worldwide’

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has responded to Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi’s claim that victims of Herdsmen killings were repaying for their alleged genocide against the Falani ethnic extraction.
Emir Sanusi had said, “Some months ago in Mambilla, in one weekend, over 800 Fulani were murdered by Mambilla militias. The papers did not even go there to cover the story. Most of those wiped out were women, infants and the elderly.
“…In many of these cases, it was not about the conflict but militias raiding settlements to kill women and children, and then later, attacking herdsmen and slaughtering them and their cattle.”

But reacting, Governor Ortom flayed the Emir 77  suggesting that the Tiv people have been killing the Fulanis, adding that the people of Benue have always been on the receiving end of the herdsmen-farmers clashes.

“Tiv people have not been killing Fulani, the whole world knows who has been the aggressor and who has been the victim in these attacks and the victim is Tivland.
“The governor maintains his stand that anti-open grazing is the global best practice to avert constant clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the country,” said the governor.
Chief Abu Shuluwa, the Tor Zankera of the Tiv people responded to Sanusi’s statement, “It is unfortunate for a traditional ruler who is expected to maintain peace, especially in the crisis situation to fuel crisis.

“I doubt an emir of that status could make such sweeping statement; possibly, he was misquoted, but if truly he said so, then it is unfortunate.”7