The Benue State Security Council has handed a 14-day ultimatum to herders violating the state’s anti-open grazing law to stop rearing their animals outside ranches.

The Benue State Security Council has handed a 14-day ultimatum to herders violating the state’s anti-open grazing law to stop rearing their animals outside ranches or have themselves to be blamed.

Our correspondent reports that the security council meeting which was chaired by Governor Hyacinth Alia resolved that herders must comply with the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Law (2017), insisting that the law is still in force.

Addressing journalists at the Government House in Makurdi on Tuesday night, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, said the council also constituted a seven-man committee to ensure the enforcement of the ultimatum given to the violators which began on Wednesday, February 21st, 2024.

The council further called on herders who recently flooded the state with their cattle grazing openly to immediately leave the state and return to where they came from, warning those who invited them to immediately desist from the act.

Meanwhile, the council urged people of the state to remain calm and be security conscious as the state government is making efforts to secure the lives and property of all citizens.

The security council, therefore, tasked security agencies, traditional rulers and the general public to report for prosecution any person in the habit of collaborating and inviting the armed herders into the state.

The council added that the hardship and looming food insecurity across the nation was being looked into and urged the people of Benue State to remain calm as efforts are being put in place by the government to address the challenge.

Benue State is one of the north central states in Nigeria that has been ravaged by herders/farmers crisis for over a decade now, with the promulgation and implementation of the anti-open grazing law exacerbating the crisis.

Fineman2:
to stop rearing their animals outside ranches or have themselves to be blamed.

Fineman2:
Good move, Fulani herdsmen must leave Benue state immediately, we don't want them in Benue, enough of their atrocities

Nyouth:
you guys are not ready yet

Mrchippychappy:
Part 3648900657111899755558

ednut1:
70% of cows in Benue are owned by David Mark

Fineman2:
I believe the creation of state police will swiftly address the herder issue in Benue and other security challenges facing Nigeria.

I don't think we should turn to demons and behave like Fulani herdsmen, it is the fight of the state and government, Some people have suggested that Benue people should take law into their hands and forcefully drive herdsmen out of Benue, but won't that cause a bigger problem because Fulani herdsmen will return back to kill more people.


They are heavily armed with sophisticated weapons.

alsudan:
Fr. Alia you can't remain in APC and fight Fulani Herdsmen.

Why do you think the herdsmen returned in their thousands immediately you won elections.

Forget that story of letters where written to them to return by your detractors.

They simply returned to continue killing because a candidate of Miyetti Allah Party won the elections and so thought they will be untouchable, unlike under Orton.