The Government of Benue State said that it has arrested four hundred (400) herdsmen for flouting the state’s anti-open grazing law. Over six hundred (600) cows belonging to the herdsmen were also impounded.

Governor Samuel Ortom, who who made these disclosure on Friday, February 28th, 2020 in Makurdi, instructed the livestock guards to seize any cow seen spotted to be openly grazing in any part of the state.

Ortom gave the instructions while inspecting seized cows at the quarantine unit of the state’s Ministry of Agriculture.

He said enforcement of the ranching law would continue to empower people who want to engage in livestock business to comply with its provisions.

He said,

There has been influx of armed herdsmen with large herds of animals to the state, despite the high level of awareness creation to the existence of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.

Several herds of cattle have been impounded and quarantined in other local government areas and the state government has acquired trucks to help livestock guards to convey impounded livestock from long distances to quarantine units for safekeeping.

The governor described the influx of herdsmen to Benue State whose cows openly graze as “life-threatening, and added that his administration would not condone such predatory behaviour.

The governor said,

As of today over 400 herdsmen found to have flouted the anti-open grazing law have been arrested and facing prosecution, some have been convicted.

According to the governor, ranching arguably remains the best practices of animal husbandry globally, and urged Nigerians to key into it to ensure peace between farmers and herdsmen.

The Commander, Livestock Guards, Linus Zaki, said they seized two hundred and fourteen (214) cattle in Ukum, sixty nine (69) in Logo, two hundred and nineteen (219) in Guma, ninety six (96) in Makurdi and sixteen (16) in Gwer West councils.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.