The Government of Benue State in North Central Nigeria has taken decisive action by directing security operatives to fully enforce the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017).
The directive is coming a few weeks after the State Security Council gave herders carrying out open grazing activities a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the state if they were not willing to embrace the practice of ranching.
At a press briefing held at the old banquet hall, Benue State Government House Makurdi, the State Deputy Governor, Barrister Sam Ode, explained that “the State Security Council held a meeting some weeks ago, where issues bordering on the influx of herders into the state were discussed with an ultimatum of 14 days given to the herders to return back if they are not willing to respect the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017), in the state.”
According to the Deputy Governor, a committee headed by Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, was constituted to make recommendations on how the issue would be addressed, adding that the committee had equally submitted its report to the government on the way forward.
He noted that since the 14-day ultimatum had elapsed and the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017) was still fully in place in the state, it was incumbent for the law to fully take its course with the full implementation of the law, with the help of the security agencies.
With the expiration of the deadline, the Deputy Governor charged the security agencies to swing into action and ensure the implementation of the Anti Open Grazing Law in the state.
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On his part, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Barrister Fidelis Mnyim explained that the Anti Open Grazing Law was not targeted against herders but the practice of open grazing generally.
He emphasised that since the implementation of the law has fully commenced after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, any offender caught would be appropriately sanctioned in line with the provisions of the law.
The Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia described the 14-day ultimatum as a non-kinetic approach by the Benue State Security Council to give grace to herders to relocate, adding that the security agencies will step in and implement the kinetic approach, which involves the use of force.
General Igbinomwanhia assured the Benue people of the readiness of Operation Whirl Stroke and other security agencies to ensure the full implementation of the anti-open grazing law in the state.
He said a clearance operation was already carried out by his team in Kwande Local Government Area of the State to restore normalcy in some disputed locations in the Council.
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