We’ll fight with our last blood against grazing reserve, Tiv youths tell Buhari

The Tiv Youth Organisations Worldwide (TYO) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against imposing grazing reserves in their communities in Benue State, vowing to defend their land with their last blood.

The TYO was reacting to a recent order issued by Buhari for the review of 368 grazing sites across 25 states in the country.

In a statement by the TYO signed by its President General, Timothy Hembaor, the youth organisation pointed out that the move by the President has confirmed its “fears and conviction that the current government is pursuing a war agenda to take over people’s lands and give to Fulani pastoralists and alleged terrorists it has invited into Nigeria from across West Africa and beyond.”

The statement which was made available to Ripples Nigeria on Monday, added that the move was a classical case of deja vu and “we are ready to be the children of our ancestors.”

“The Sokoto Jihad started this in the 19th century and it failed. The Fulani could not overrun Tiv land and the progress we have made is enough to enable us hold the line of defense drawn by our courageous forebears.

“We, the Tiv Youth Organization (TYO), wish to tell Mr President and all those anchoring the devilish occupation agenda that not even one parcel of Benue land will be given for grazing reserves.

“If a committee has been appointed to tackle the issue of grazing sites, Tiv land and indeed Benue State is not aware of it and such a recommendation, therefore, has no application over the state.

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“Grazing sites do not exist in Benue State, and if cattle were allowed to move through Benue to various places in the country and elsewhere, such routes are no more.

“As a result of population explosion, the land that hitherto lay desolate has been occupied by various communities who eke out a living daily to survive.

“The resilience of the Tiv which saw the defeat of Usman Dan Fodio and his Jihadist warriors at Ushongo Hills in 1808 must not be underestimated.

“The manner our people have survived Buhari presidency which has been fashioned to bring harm to our doorsteps must tell him something about our staying power.

“We know Buhari does not listen to superior advice but he must know that the quest to divide our land to offer safe passage to his marauding kinsmen may be the final straw for his presidency.

“He will have to kill every Tiv person to make it happen and that will not happen because the world has moved from his frozen mindset, a thought process that believes in parochial feudalism, religious fanaticism and fundamentalism.”

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