Alia: The anti-open grazing law in Benue is still in effect

The governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has declared that the state’s laws prohibiting open-grazing and establishing ranches remain fully operative.

During an interaction with representatives of several unions in the state on Monday in the former Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi, Alia revealed this.

According to him, the main purpose of the contact was to inform the unions of events occurring in the state and country and to express gratitude for their support of his administration.

Governor Alia tasked the unions with ensuring that they always coexist peacefully and amicably, advising them to be amicable in their interactions and dispute resolution processes without always resorting to the legal system.

He begged them not to give in to pressure from anyone trying to undermine the state’s unity.

According to Governor Alia, the reason behind the recent surge of herders and their livestock in the state was that some individuals had written to herders in neighboring countries like the Niger Republic, inviting them to return to Benue because, in their opinion, the laws prohibiting open grazing and establishing ranches had been loosened.

However, the security report has it on good authority that some individuals are to blame for the herders’ entry into the state, which makes me feel rather depressed.

“They even made the extra effort to travel to the border with Nigerien to greet the herders, telling them that nothing would change because the previous Benuean law still applied,” he claimed.

Nonetheless, the state’s governor gave the populace assurances that the law is in effect and hasn’t been loosened by anybody.

“On very good authority, my dear people of Benue, I want you to know that the Anti-Open Grazing law is still in effect,” he said.