*** Slams Ortom over farmer’s/herder’s crises in Benue
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has stated that his colleagues in the southern part of the country are “wrong” to asked Fulani herders to leave their states.
He added that it is the constitutional right of Nigerians to live in whatever part of the country they so wish.
He stated these at the closing ceremony of the 2021 Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Bauchi State Council, launching of a maiden Magazine and award presentations.
The governor who was the Guest of Honour and an awardee for being most journalist friendly Governor, in his keynote address on the theme: “The Role of the Media in Promoting Peace in Nigeria”, commended journalists in the state for their accurate and balanced reporting and for promoting peace in Nigeria.
Recall that The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, had given a notice to criminal herders to vacate the forest reserves in the state.
But the governor who cautioned journalists against rushing to press on the issues capable of dividing the country, slammed his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, over his handling of the farmer’s/herder’s crises in his state.
“You have seen what our colleagues in South West are doing and some of them in South East on the herders/farmers clashes. Some of us told them with all modesty and humility ‘you are wrong.’
“But the person that is most wrong is the Governor of Benue State, my brother and my colleague, Governor (Samuel) Ortom, he started all these. If you don’t accommodate other tribes we are also accommodating your people in Bauchi and other places .
“We have so many Tiv people working and farming in Alkaleri, farming in Tafawa Balewa, farming in Bogoro local Government areas of Bauchi, has anyone asked them to go? We have not, because it is their constitutional rights to be there.
“We have Yoruba people in Bauchi for over 150 years, even before the birth of Nigeria. Nobody has told them to go, some of them have risen to become permanent secretaries in Bauchi, Gombe and Borno,” he stated.
The governor who noted that the fulani man is practicing the tradition of tran-shumans, pastoralism, he has been exposed to the dangers of the forests, the animals pointing out that “and now, the cattle rustlers, who carry guns, kill him and take away his commonwealth, his cows, he had no option than to defend himself because the society and the government are not protecting him.
“It is not his fault, it is the fault of the goverment and the people, you don’t criminalize all of them because in every tribe there are criminals. You should be very sensitive.”
He urged journalists to be careful and exercise restraint and must decifer wrong from right and anything that is so bad with potentials of dividing the country and that can threaten its unity and hergemonity, “you don’t do it.”
Mohammed however, commended the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, whom he said uses the media to promote peace and unity in Nigeria describing him as “a hero.”
He said: “We have seen what he has done on the Plateau, incessant fighting between fulanis and the tribes have all stopped because of the justice and equity he’s showing there.”
He charged journalists no to compound the issues that may pose danger to our existence.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel in Bauchi, Ahmed Mohammed, in his welcome address, enjoined the members to do more of investigative journalism and ensure accuracy in their reportage.
Highlight of the event included award presentations to the Emirs of Bauchi, Ningi and Jama’are and the Group General Manager, NAPIMS; Alh. Bala Wunti.