The paramount traditional ruler in Benue State, Orchivirigh Professor James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, known as the Tor Tiv of Tiv Land, has urged MACBAN leaders to take firm action regarding killer herders in their midst.
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) is the registered association of cattle herders. The Tor Tiv spoke with MACBAN representatives in his palace on Thursday amid continuing tensions between farmers and herders in Nigeria.
Violent clashes and land disputes have burdened many communities in Benue State, regarded as the food basket of the country. Several farming communities have fled to the internally displaced people’s camps.
Traditional herders once safeguarded farmlands with simple tools and honest practices. Now, criminal elements hide behind a respected identity.
“The difficulty with this issue is that we are dealing with both herders and criminal herders,” the traditional ruler said.
“It’s like a situation where mechanics are going about their business and madmen have joined them, yet all are dressed the same. If you come here and tell us that a few criminal elements are spoiling the reputation of everyone, the first thing you must do is drive out the madmen among you,” he said.
Traditional Values vs Modern Violence
For decades, genuine herders in Benue maintained peace and respected the land. They used sticks to guide their animals and protected farmlands from damage.
Over time, some groups shifted to violence by adopting modern weapons like AK-47s. This change has led to killings, rape, and undue destruction that disrupt the harmony between farmers and herders.
“The original herders we knew would use sticks to guide their animals, ensuring they did not destroy farmlands. That was the herder we grew up with,” he said.
He challenged current practices by asking, “Is it the culture of killing and destruction? Because the nomadic lifestyle of old never involved killing, land-grabbing, or rape.” His question calls into question a culture that now accepts brutality.
MACBAN Must Purge Criminal Elements
Violence in rural areas now stems from armed groups that tarnish the reputation of traditional herding. Communities suffer when innocent farmers lose crops and security is compromised. The Tor Tiv condemned these actions in no uncertain terms.
“Any culture that kills, maims, and destroys does not deserve to continue. It must end immediately,” he declared.
Prof. Ayatse offered a clear message to genuine herders and MACBAN.
“If you come with herds, we will show you where the grass is green. But if you come to kill and destroy, that is an alien culture we cannot tolerate in Benue State,” he stated.
He then warned, “Deal with your internal issues. Don’t say you don’t know them. They dress like you, talk like you, and carry AK-47s like you. If they walk like you and kill like you, how can you claim they are not part of you?”
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