The National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore on Friday threatened that the group will fight back if the newly inaugurated local police by South West Governors codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’ violate rights of Fulani herdsmen.
According to the group, Miyetti Allah has no problem with inauguration of the security outfit saying but it will not would not condone acts of injustice against any of its members by the officials of the outfit or any other vigilance group.
Saleh noted that they have their own defence mechanisms saying: “We fight injustice anywhere, not only in Nigeria. So, if they end up meting out injustice to us, we will fight back. That is the truth but we are law-abiding.
“And as herders, we must herd our cows until there is an alternative provided for us. If they give us alternative, we will go there and if they say they don’t want us, those that want to leave, will leave but what we will not sanction is anybody taking the law into their own hands because we have a history of fighting injustice anywhere there is oppression.”
Recalling how herdsmen suffered acts of injustice when the Benue State Government set up the livestock guard which ended up extorting money from innocent herders, Saleh said Operation Amotekun could be used by politicians to perpetuate themselves in power by election rigging.
Saleh argued that South-West governors should have remained true to their call for state police rather than opt for the Operation Amotekun option.
He stated, “When you empower groups and give them arms, the possibility is that others will follow suit and the central government will begin losing its power. Definitely, our politicians will begin to abuse these outfits.
“When it is election time, sitting governors will use the outfits to their advantage. The first casualties of such malfeasance will be the people of that state, because when they want to impose themselves, they use these people because they are already trained and armed just like in Benue State.
“At the end, the livestock guards ended up killing people. It is on record because people have been tried and jailed. So, it is not the way forward. If they cannot push the debate for state police, they should not do such half measures.”
