Benue State Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, has advised
Ondo, Oyo and other states experiencing herdsmen crisis in the country to consider
the enactment of the Anti-Open Grazing Law of Benue State.
Oyo and Ondo states have been in the eye of the storm lately
over security challenges and the moves to check the activities of killer
herdsmen.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had said the state
enacted an anti-open grazing law but said there were challenges in the
implementation of the law. The governor added that the cooperation of the
police and other federal security forces was crucial to enforcing the law
enacted to stop frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
But the Benue deputy governor said the law has been working well in the state. He lauded the Benue State Police Command for doing an excellent job in enforcing the anti-open grazing law in the state.
Abounu spoke on Tuesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise
Daily programme.
He also said the state government apprehended 356 cows and
six armed herdsmen recently and the offenders and their cattle were handed over
to the police for prosecution.
Abounu said, “The police in Benue have done a beautiful job
especially in keeping our anti-open grazing law. A good number (of offenders)
have been arrested in the past and they were given fair trials. Some of them
have been sentenced to correctional centres while others paid fines.
“As of today, we also have livestock guards that are all
over the place to ensure that you only breed your cattle in ranches in Benue.
Those who flouted the law have always been arrested and if they paid the fines
they were let go.
“So, the thing is working very well and I am surprised that
it is taking such a long time for other states in the federation to borrow such
a leaf from Benue. What is happening in Oyo and Ondo States today would not be
happening if they had come on board with us in 2016 or thereafter. This is a
national issue. It should be looked at dispassionately by all sectors of
Nigeria.”
The deputy governor also noted that the state government was
not against breeding of cows, adding that it constantly advise herdsmen in the
state to embrace the ranching system.
“We’ve been preaching to them that Benue State has nothing
against the breeding of cows but what we are saying is that the best
international practice in breeding cows is ranching and a good number of them
are buying the idea,” he added.
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