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From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Ahead of the November 1 take-off of the implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing law in Benue State, the state Police Command has stressed the need for all stakeholders to allow the law take its course in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
Speaking at an Eminent Persons Forum organised by the state Police Command at the Police Officers’ Mess, on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Bashir Makama said the meeting was to seek ways to enforce the law in the state without any rancour.
His words, “The meeting is to provide some guidelines through which the implementation of the Anti Open Grazing Law can be carried out so that it would serve as a foundation to help in the implementation of the law without rancour.”
The Benue Police boss maintained that both the herdsmen and the farmers needed each other to survive as the farmer needed the protein from the beef of herders’ cattle, while the herders also needed the farmer grains as food.
Hence, the need for both parties to understand each other with respect to the law.
Also speaking, Security Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom, Col. Edwin Jando, who said the state government had already constituted a committee on the implementation of the law, disclosed that pivot ranches would also be established in various locations in the state.
Jando revealed that confiscated livestocks would be housed in those pivot ranches for seven days during which the owners can come and claim them after paying some ransom adding that anyone who fails to claim his confiscated livestock within seven days would stand the risk of forfeiting such as government would have no option, than to auction them out.
“We are in a learning process. The advocacy is starting on Monday in churches, market places, radio and television stations and all over to make people understand what ranching is all about. The law is not to witch hunt anyone. The implementation of the law is a learning process for everyone.”
Council chairmen who spoke with our Correspondent at the meeting, including Ogwuche Olofu Francis (Okpokwu), Austin Okwoche (Oju), Francis Ayagah (Gwer West) and Juliana Audu (Makurdi), all commended the state police command for the meeting.
The Council bosses also pointed out that they have been further enlightened about the fact that the law was not targeted at driving away a particular race from the state but to see how everyone can coexist in an atmosphere of peace.
Participants at the meeting included academicians, farmers, herdsmen, traditional rulers and council chairmen drawn from the 23 local government areas of the state.
