FEATURE ARTICLE

Comrade Ifeanyichukwu MmohWednesday, January 17, 2018
[email protected]
Jos, Nigeria

THE TIME TO PROSCRIBE THE MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE ASSOCIATION IS NOW!


hen the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki reacted against the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after it was labelled as a terrorist organization by the 'almighty' federal government; a number of folks called for his head to be served to the gallows for daring to pitch his tent against the government's position on IPOB.

They argued that being a part of not just the government but the number three most senior citizen! It was treasonable felony to side against his government. These folks may not have realized the consequences of their actions at the time but the SP certainly understood why he reacted in the way he did.

It is understandable that IPOB's proscription had more to do with the president's open contempt against a people than it had to do with the law. It was never a question whether or not the now outlawed IPOB was qualified under recent intelligence laws to be referred to as a terrorist group.

Every reasonable intelligence person knew that the group was far from being classified into the terror group. But what many did not boldly say was that the proscription was purely sentimental, hence Mr. President erred in his judgement. That failure to condemn therefore created the immunity needed to absolve him now.

Dr. Saraki - as I mentioned earlier - certainly understood his basis for reacting against the proscription of IPOB then. He knew that failure to do so would certainly create for Mr. President an image of an 'unquestionable judge' who would without relevant laws even; condemn a person whether they were guilty or not.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Association's open romance with the activities of the now notorious Fulani/Malian Herdsmen is - to say the least - a clear testament to the fact that folly is indeed set in high places as things are at the moment in Nigeria. It tells that Nigeria was paying for their foolishness of falling for the candidacy of a man who held them in such a low esteem as not to be able to call the Association a terror group.

It tells also that right in the face of the several heinous and punishable offenses that the collaboration of the Miyetti Allah/Fulani Herdsman had committed, whoever dared to challenged the government for being inept would equally go the proscription route leaving the Miyetti marauders standing stronger than ever.

If all the innocent lives that had so far being wasted since the Miyetti/Herdsmen collabo began had not pricked the 'almighty' law enforcer into flashing his proscription wand; does it not tell that someone somewhere was interpreting the meaning of 'public servant' wrongly?

Does it not show that, even in the APC, some animals were more equal than the others? I mean Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has even openly accused Mr. President of looking the other way while the good people of the state - who voted him - died under questionable circumstance.

Is this government reluctant to proscribe the Miyetti Allah the same way it proscribed the IPOB? The answer is Yes! Can their actions confirm this? Perhaps. But you may need to hear one of her ministers to form your opinion. Dr. Audu Ogbeh has this to say "Over the years, we have not done much to look seriously into the issue of livestock development in the country.

I am sad to tell you that in the last 50 years until recently, we may have done enough for the rice farmer, the cassava farmer, the maize farmer, the cocoa farmer, but we have not done much for herdsman and that inability and omission on our part is resulting in the crises we are witnessing today."

He continued to say that "In Europe, every cow that is farmed gets a subsidy of 6 Euros per day, we have done next to nothing for the cattle rearers and as a result, their operations have become threats to other farmers." By this, Dr. Ogbeh has categorically informed the public that it was right for the herdsmen to act the way they did.

So if the FG turned many Nigerians to farming and then reversed its so-called achievement by openly encouraging the herdsmen to go on killing innocent people many of whom are farmers; it made sense to Dr. Ogbeh or does it not? Now tell me, why should agriculture be named as an achievement with this government? It is sad.

Unfortunately, the narrative has suddenly changed from the anti-open grazing policy to cattle colony. But that's not all. The term 'cattle colony' seems to convey a silent threat that tells any observer that it was only an excuse to justify whatever befell any state that resisted the idea. If you asked me, I believe it was time the Miyetti Allah was proscribed.

IMAGES IN THE NEWS