The Benue State Government on Thursday alleged that the Fulani socio-cultural association Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore is coordinating banditry across the country.

The state government made the allegation in a statement by Terver Akase, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom.

The state government was reacting to reports in which Miyetti Allah claimed it had established a security outfit called Miyetti Allah Vigilante Group nationwide.

Insisting that the group cannot operate in Benue State, the state government also alleged that the establishment of the security outfit was a decoy for elevating their inhuman atrocities to the next level.

The statement reads: “We read the statement credited to the Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, in which the group announced that it has established its security outfit called ‘Miyetti Allah Vigilante’ to operate nationwide.

“As much as we do not have any problem with Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore floating a security outfit in other states, it is important to say that such a vigilante group WILL NOT OPERATE IN BENUE STATE. Miyetti Allah has no constitutional right to establish a nationwide security outfit.

“Benue does not need the Miyetti Allah vigilante. The State Government is working with conventional security forces and has already established a vigilante group at the state, local government and ward levels. This is evident in the ongoing recruitment of personnel for Community Policing who will soon be trained as recommended by Inspector General of Police.

“The idea of running a nationwide vigilante group is a mere strategy by the Fulani socio-cultural organization to elevate their nefarious and inhuman activities to another level. They have repeatedly claimed responsibility for the killing of thousands of children, women and other vulnerable people in different states, yet, members of the group walk freely in Abuja and hold press conferences threatening to unleash terror on the people of this country.

“We once more call for the arrest and prosecution of officials of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, to end the spate of crime in the country.

“We urge the Federal Government to stop looking elsewhere for bandits who have been killing innocent Nigerians. Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore are coordinators of banditry in the country, and officials of the group reside in Abuja.”