Benue State Livestock Guards have arrested six herdsmen and 386 cattle for violating the state’s anti-open grazing law.
The Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, disclosed yesterday at a press conference in Makurdi that the herders were arrested by security men while grazing at Kaseiyô in Guma Council in two different days.
Abounu noted that heavily-armed herders with large herds were discovered at the bank of River Benue.
He said the influx of cattle and armed herders along the river bank was taking place particularly at the boundary between Benue and Nasarawa states as reported by the Nasarawa governor, Abdullahi Sule.
His words: “When the Nasarawa State Government raised the alarm that Boko Haram terrorists were assembling at the border communities, we sent security men to investigate and they ascertained that there were armed herdsmen with massive cows on the banks of River Benue.”
“We have already held our security meeting and have put in place measures to prevent possible attack on our people by the armed herdsmen. Security operatives have also arrested six of the herdsmen who violated our law.”
He warned the herdsmen that the state’s law prohibiting open grazing was still in force and that anyone who violates it will be arrested and charged to court,” he added.
