Ortom: We only suspended livestock guards for 2 weeks | Anti-grazing law still in force

Samuel Ortom, Benue governor, says the state’s open-grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law is still in full force. 

In 2022, Ortom signed an amendment bill to the reviewed open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law — which he had earlier accented to on May 27, 2017. 

In a statement on Wednesday by Terver Akase, Ortom’s media and publicity adviser, the governor said the Benue state security council only suspended the livestock guards for two weeks to allow for a reduction in the influx of cattle into the state.  

Ortom said anyone caught flouting the law after the expiration of the grace period will be apprehended and prosecuted.

“It has become pertinent to clarify the misconceptions in some sections of the media regarding the decision of the Benue State security council to suspend operations of the state livestock guards for two weeks,” Akase said. 

“The suspension of the livestock guards is only a grace period which became necessary to allow for a reduction in the influx of cattle into the state. The majority of the pastoralists who came into the state said that after the February 25 and March 18 elections, they were told that a new government was in place in Benue state and the ban on open grazing of cattle had been lifted paving the way for them to move into the state without hindrance. 

“As Samuel Ortom stated while briefing the press at the end of the state security council meeting Tuesday, April 11, the action is part of measures to ensure that all those who invaded the state with cattle leave so that Benue people would have peace and go about their legitimate and lawful businesses.”