Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State
As controversies continue to trail grazing routes in the country, the Idoma people in Jos, the Plateau State capital, have faulted a Fulani group, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore which claims that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol allows the Fulani community free movement into and across member countries.
The Idoma people, under their socio-cultural and political association, Idoma Forum Jos, urged the Fulani group to tell the truth that the ECOWAS Protocol only permits grazing routes. In a strongly worded statement issued yesterday, Chairman of the Forum, Professor Samuel Ocholi and Secretary, Dr. Amali Adekwu, explained that the ECOWAS Protocol has not given the Fulani’s limitless access to land, including farms and farmlands.
Joining their voices with several others that have condemned the outburst from the group and called for its withdrawal, the statement also cautioned the group against reckless threats that can heat up the polity and breach the peace of the state and the country.
The statement further stated that it was unfortunate that the cattle rearers claim superiority and unrestricted access to any part of the land to the extent that they now claim the ownership of Idoma land.
It also added that though they support the bill, “It came too late after years of murderous invasion, murdering of our people in cold blood”.The statement added that open grazing has become archaic and unproductive, stressing that the global best practice on animal production is ranching.
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