Benue: Miyetti Allah says 340 cattle rustled in Agatu and Guma LGAs in July, calls for government action. State security adviser denies rustling, cites crop damage.
The Benue State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association says at least 340 cattle were rustled in July.
State secretary of the association, Ibrahim Galma, alleged in a statement that the incidents happened in Agatu and parts of Guma Local Government Areas.
Galma accused criminal gangs of operating along the Benue–Kogi border and said some cattle were yet to be recovered despite partial recoveries.
He appealed to the Benue government to investigate, arrest the perpetrators, and compensate affected herders to restore peace between farmers and herders.
However, the state’s security adviser, Joseph Har, dismissed reports of rustling in Agatu, saying cattle were only seized after damaging crops and were released after fines were paid.
Efforts to reach the Benue Police Command were unsuccessful as at the time of this report.
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