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Demand immediate release of detained protesters
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Urge Gov Alia to implement anti-open grazing law
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Benue State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, declared that they have failed the Benue people by not protecting them from the attacks of killer herdsmen.
The lawmaker representing Kwande West State Constituency, Thomas Dugeri, stated on the floor of the House while contributing to a motion on the urgent need to end the killing of Benue State indigenes by armed herdsmen, brought to the floor of the House by Peter Uche of Guma 1 State Constituency.
Dugeri, who described the killing of over 200 citizens as disheartening, said the executive and legislative arms of government in Benue State have failed in their responsibilities to the people.
He said the fact of the matter is that “the Governor, his Deputy, and we, the lawmakers, have failed the people of Benue State.”
Also speaking about the killings in the state, the lawmaker representing Okpokwu State Constituency, Anthony Agom, called for the immediate evacuation of all Fulani herdsmen from the state.
Mr Agom said, “We can no longer live with Fulani herders; they are no longer friendly with us, we do not trust them anymore, they should vacate our land. We should tell our traditional rulers to pass our position to them.”
Others who spoke in support of the motion, including Peter Ipusu, Shimawua Terna, Godwin Edor, and Michael Audu, among others, all urged the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, to ensure strict implementation and enforcement of the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017 to check the influx of armed herders into the state and further deter them from killing the people.
The House also requested the Governor to declare three days of mourning from Wednesday, June 18 to Friday, June 20, 2025, to honour the innocent people killed by the armed herdsmen.
Earlier, Mr Uche, in his motion of urgent public importance, informed the House of the wanton destruction of property and killings by armed Fulani herdsmen in Yelwata, Guma LGA.
He explained that the marauding herdsmen used sophisticated weapons (including explosives) and fuel to set houses ablaze, where some nuclear and extended families of between five to ten members were completely wiped out.
In his ruling, the Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, demanded the immediate release of the 14 youths arrested during the Sunday protest. The Speaker, Hon Aondona Dajoh, commended the youths for their courage to protest, saying the House would find time to honour them.
According to him, “Those young men and women are our heroes of democracy in Benue State. They did what we could not do as leaders by coming out to protest.
“How can about 200 people be killed and they came out to protest and you are arresting them? They should be released immediately.”