Why We May Introduce Stiffer Penalties For Herders Openly Grazing In Benue—Governor Ortom

The governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has insisted that the attacks by killer herdsmen and bandits on the people of the state will not force his administration to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.

Ortom stated that his administration will not be intimidated to repeal the law but rather amend the law to increase the penalties against anyone who flouts the law.

Governor Ortom

He stated this on Saturday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Makurdi while giving his mid-term scorecard as part of activities marking this year’s Democracy Day.

“This law has come to stay and no amount of intimidation can make us repeal it. Instead, we will soon amend the law in order to increase the penalties against offenders,” he said.

Ortom lamented the humanitarian situation caused by continued attacks by armed herdsmen, bandits and other criminals in Benue communities.

“The security threat from armed herdsmen, bandits and other criminals in our communities has resulted in wanton killings and the displacement of people in large numbers across the state.

“Today, Benue State has over one million IDPs (internally displaced persons) with many of them living in the camps we have set up and others staying with their relations. The situation has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the state.

He regretted that despite the huge sums of money his administration has been spending to cater for the internally displaced persons, resources are always inadequate because the number of IDPs is daily increasing.

“My desire is to ensure that the IDPs return to their ancestral homes. Most of them are farmers, and the longer they stay in the camps, the more food production is affected. We hope that the federal government will also fulfil its promise to assist Benue and other states in the North Central which have been badly affected by the attacks to resettle the victims.”

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