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• Says recalcitrant armed herders to face sanction
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Benue State Government has said it would deploy the instrument of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017), to prosecute any herder caught with arms or found grazing cattle openly within the state.
The state security council briefed newsmen at Government House, Makurdi, yesterday.
Following the influx of armed herdsmen into the state and the attendant insecurity, the Benue State Security Council met on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 and gave a two-week’s ultimatum beginning from Wednesday, February 21, warning people grazing openly within the state to comply with the state’s law, insisting the law is still in force in the state.
The council also asked armed herders and invaders to leave the state with immediate effect, warning those who invited them to desist, henceforth, from such acts.
Meanwhile, 14 days after the ultimatum, the state government has announced the implementation of the anti-open grazing law.
Speaking to newsmen, yesterday, Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, and flanked by some members of the security council, informed the public of the implementation decision and called on all those in the business of cattle rearing to comply fully or face the music.
Ode, who noted that the press conference was an offshoot of two previous meetings about influx of herdsmen in the state, said the committee set up to review the disengagement and withdrawal of armed herdsmen from the state, headed by the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Sunday Igbinomwanhia, has submitted its report.
He said the committee noted that over the last two weeks, there was a peaceful withdrawal of some herdsmen, especially after the security agencies carried out some peaceful operations to ensure their withdrawal.
While noting that the law is not targeted at anyone, Ode said: “If you contravene the law, no matter who you are, your status and where you come from, the full weight of the law will be brought to bear heavily on you.”
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim, said there was no space for open grazing in Benue State. “There is a law in place prohibiting open grazing and the law is still in place. Fourteen days of ultimatum has come and gone and the law has its consequences. This means if you are rearing cattle in Benue, you should ranch them. For those armed herdsmen who have withdrawn, we thank God for them but for those who have insisted on staying, good luck. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame. If you are caught in the act, the law will take its course.”
Igbinomwanhia said the ultimatum was part of the non-kinetic approach to resolving the situation and ending conflicts between herders and farmers in the state.
Igbinomwanhia warned that the grace period for the non-kinetic approach has elapsed and assured the troops in collaboration with other security agencies will ensure the open grazing is implemented to the core.
On killing in Kwande council, the force commander said troops have carried out clearance operations in the troubled areas. “As we speak, that area has been cleared and normalcy has returned.”
