Falana: Open grazing should be banned in Benue, Plateau to curb killings

Femi Falana, chair of the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), has asked the governments of Benue and Plateau states to immediately ban open grazing and prosecute suspects linked to violent crimes.

He made the call in a statement on Sunday while expressing sympathy over the incessant loss of lives in both states.

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) described the recent spate of attacks as “genocidal”.

“It is unbelievable that the nation’s security forces have failed to defeat the ill-equipped gunmen terrorising unarmed people in Benue and Plateau states,” Falana said.

He recalled that during the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari, the northern and southern governors forums agreed to outlaw open grazing across the country.

Falana said the federal government adopted ranching to curb the violent clashes between herders and farmers by releasing N6.2 billion to the Katsina state government.

“Our call on other state governments then to demand for the same amount and for the same purpose fell on deaf ears,” he said.

The human rights lawyer commended the Benue and Plateau governments for establishing state security outfits, in line with the example set by the late Rotimi Akeredolu, former governor of Ondo.

He, however, said there have been allegations that the security outfits in both states are underfunded.

“As a matter of urgency, the operatives of both security agencies should be well trained and well motivated to rout out the merchants of death operating in both states,” he said.

Falana said over 1,000 suspects were arrested between January and December 2024 by a combined team of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Armed Forces in connection with killings, kidnappings, and other crimes in Plateau and Benue states.

He added that no less than 100 suspects have been arrested between January and March 2025.

“We are, however, disturbed to note that most of the arrested suspects were briefly detained and released either conditionally or unconditionally,” he said.

“Hence, the killing and abduction of innocent persons have continued unabated.”

He urged the attorneys-general of Benue and Plateau to ensure that all suspected killers are prosecuted in line with the provisions of the penal codes applicable in their states.

“It is high time that open grazing was banned by the governments of Benue and Plateau states,” he said.

“Without any further delay, the federal government should establish ranches in Benue, Plateau, and other states and ban the movement of cattle in the Federal Capital Territory and all states of the Federation.”

On Friday, Solomon Dalung, a former minister of sports and chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), linked the spread of criminal groups across Nigeria to the war against terrorism in the north-east.

Speaking during an appearance on Politics HQ, a programme on News Central, Dalung said the dispersal of Boko Haram fighters from the north-east gave rise to widespread banditry and kidnapping in the north-west, Plateau, Benue and other parts of the country.