From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue Government has raised the alarm over the renewed influx of herdsmen into the state calling on security agencies to check the trend.
Senior Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Animal Husbandry, Shehu Tambaya, in a chat with newsmen in Makurdi, said he was concerned that if nothing was done to put them in check, they might break the laws of the land and disrupt the relative peace enjoyed in the state.
“I want to alert security agencies to the fact that herdsmen are moving into Benue State in their numbers. These people are coming more and more into the state. We have noticed them in about 16 local government areas, across the state. They have entered Gwer West, Buruku, Tarka, Guma Makurdi, Kwande, Zaki Biam in Ukum, Logo, Agatu, Apa, Ado among other local government areas.
“Most of the times when they come in this season, it is for open grazing and they should know that our anti-open grazing law is still in place and we will not tolerate any open grazing on our land. So, I am calling on the security agencies to go after them and check their activities in the state,” Tambaya said.
The governor’s aide said the Benue government is not stopping anyone from coming to do business in the state but cautioned that those who want to do so must do it according to the laws of the land.
Tambaya, who said the Benue’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law was still under implementation, advised those in the animal business in Benue to obey the law or be ready to face sanctions.
