A federal high court sitting in
Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore challenging
the open grazing prohibition and establishment law passed by the Benue state
house of assembly.
At its sitting on Thursday, Okon
Abang, a judge, also awarded N100,000 damages against the plaintiff, to be paid
to all the 14 defendants named in the suit.
He premised his judgment on the
failure of the plaintiff to comply with an order issued by the court in 2017,
directing the association to amend the originating summons.
Bamidele Qudari of the federal
high court, ruled that there was no valid originating summons before the court
regarding the suit.
The Benue state government had
approved the law among other things to address the incessant clashes between
herdsmen and farmers in the state.
Samuel Ortom, the state governor,
had said the destruction of farmlands by cows being reared by the herdsmen was
among the major reasons for the clashes.
But the herders kicked against
the legislation, arguing that it was an act of discrimination against them.
They subsequently went to court,
seeking a mandatory injunction restraining the Benue state government from
implementing the law.
Thursday’s ruling comes amid the
controversy over the setting up of ‘Ruga’ for herdsmen in some states as an
alternative to open grazing.
The federal government had to
suspend its implementation after it received backlash from many Nigerians over
the motive and implication of the planned settlement.
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