Benue State governor has faulted the claims in some quarters that the recently-implemented law banning open grazing was aimed at chasing herders from Benue State.
Ortom said contrary to the claims by the opposition, his government did not at any point ask herders to vacate the state.
He said, rather, the law asked all cattle rearers to ranch their animals.
He made this clarification in a statement issued by his Special Adviser of Media and ICT, Tavaz Argezua.
His statement reads:
We have read reports in several national dailies and other media platforms credited to officials of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore claiming that Fulani herdsmen were being driven from Benue State. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It can be recalled that a law to prohibit open grazing and establishment of ranches came into effect in the state on Ist November, 2017.
Governor Samuel Ortom had signed the bill into law on 22nd May, 2017 but allowed a grace period of close to six months to give time to herdsmen and owners of livestock to acquire land for ranches.
Instead of encouraging herdsmen to commence the process, officials of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore threatened through media statements to mobilize its members to resist the law and even invade the state to wreck havoc on farming communities.
The association also went to court to challenge the legitimacy of the law and the matter is still in court. The law itself was enacted to put an end to incessant clashes between herders and farmers resulting in massive destruction of lives and property across the state over the years.
Its objective is to bring lasting peace between the two groups in accordance with internationally accepted best practices. For herders the law also provides stiff penalties against cattle rustling including imprisonment for three years and payment of N100, 000 per animal or both.
In case the rustler maims, injures or kills the penalty which is much higher includes culpable homicide punishable under the provisions of the penal court.
Before and after the law came into effect the state government has neither issued any quit notice to any individual or ethnic group nor driven such out of the state.
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