Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State government has expressed concern over the influx of cattle into the state despite the enactment of the anti open grazing law, which is in force in the state.
Senior Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Animal Husbandry, Alhaji Shehu Tambaya, raised the concern yesterday in a chat with Daily Sun in Makurdi, the state capital.
Tambaya accused leaders of herdsmen in the state of not educating their people on the importance of the Benue Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, which has been operational since 2017 in the state.
“The state government has severally engaged leaders of herdsmen in dialogue where they were always told that the law is a win-win for both herdsmen and farmers.
“We believe that if these herdsmen’s leaders have been educating their people appropriately, we wouldn’t have been witnessing this kind of massive influx cattle into the state,” Tambaya stated.
While commending the efforts of security agencies especially Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Army, Police, Nigeria Civil Defense and Security Corps (NSCDC) and others in checking the influx of cows into the state, the governor’s aide urged them to beam more searchlight on the border area between Kwande and Cameroon as well as Guma and Gwer West areas of the state.