KILLINGS: We’ll never honour any police invitation –Miyetti Allah

The leadership of herdsmen, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has vowed that it will never honour any invitation by police over killings.

The group’s national coordinator in Benue State, Alhaji Garus Gololo, who stated this on Friday, argued that it is only criminals that the police can invite and that herdsmen are not criminals.

Gololo was reacting to a statement by the former head of state, Yakubu Gowon, who was said to have last week when he visited Benue to condole with the governor and the people of the state, called on security operatives to interrogate the leadership of Miyetti Allah over killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

But in his response, the Benue State MACBAN leader said that he was disappointed with the statement by Gowon, saying that it was uncalled for and unbefitting of an elder statesman.

He said, “I don’t understand what Gowon meant because it is only criminals that the police can invite. If that is the case, who should be questioned in Zamfara, Borno, Rivers and Lagos where there have also been killings?

“Just yesterday, four people were killed in Zamfara, who should the police invite? To me, it is very unfortunate for a former Head of State to have made such inciting comments.

“What about the people who blocked roads in Jos and killed people; who have questioned them? And what about those people who were burnt to ashes and removed from vehicles in the Middle Belt, who have questioned those that killed them? Our people were burnt in vehicles at Daudu area in Benue State, who is to be questioned?

“As far as I’m concerned, we are cattle breeders, we are peace lovers, we support peace and we will continue to preach peace. Honestly, I’m not happy with his comments and I’m disappointed.

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“No Miyetti Allah member would honour any invitation from the police in respect of any killings. Invitation? What for?

“They would call you just because you are leading an organisation and something happened in any state; is that how things are done?

“We are a registered organisation and we don’t have any dealing with the police as far as I’m concerned because we have a very robust and cordial relationship with them. The police cannot invite us because of a request made by someone because we’re friends with the police.”

 

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