From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (MACBAN) has cried out over the activities of criminal elements saying about 340 cows belonging to their members were rustled in the month of July.
The State Secretary of MACBAN, Ibrahim Galma, in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, yesterday,said the rustling happened in Agatu and some parts of Guma local government areas of the state.
Giving a breakdown, the Secretary said:” The suspected criminals from Eguma community in Agatu LG rustled 73 cattle belonging to Sale Abubakar (Fulani Herder) and up till now the said cattle have not been recovered.
“In another development,criminal gangs from Agatu communities rustled 80 cattle belongings to Ardo Sarkin Fulani Bagana.
“These cattle were rustled in Kogi closed to the border areas with Agatu LGC Benue State. The said criminals moved with the cattle inside Agatu communities. Later 30 out of the 80 cattle were recovered within Agatu communities leaving 50 cattle unrecovered.
“Yet in another incident ,213 cattle belonging to Garah Mobaba were also rustled by criminal youths from Agatu communities. This also happened at the border areas between Kogi State and Agatu LGA of Benue State.
“This situation is also happening in some part’s of Guma LGA of Benue State.where a lot of cattle rustling and killing of herders were severally reported.
The association, however, appealed to the state government to investigate the matter, arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book. They also appealed that the victims be compensated.
Reacting to the incident, Chairman of Agatu Local Government, James Melvin, who acknowledged that the issue was reported to him, called on security operatives to investigate the matter.
He said, “We are calling on security to investigate the matter.”
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Joseph Har, said that the incident in Guma was not cattle rustling.
He said that the cattle strayed into peoples ‘s farm and destroyed their crops leading to confiscation of the cattle and added that as soon as the owners of the cattle paid for the destruction of the crops their cattle was released to them.
“What happened there was that their cattle entered people’s farms and destroyed their crops, so we went there and carried the cattle but when the owners came and paid for the crops destroyed we released those cattle to them.
Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Benue State Command, DSP Udeme Edet said the incident has not been reported to them yet.
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