Gov’t, Myetti Allah meet over implementation of grazing law

The Benue State Government in collaboration with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have agreed to ensure the implementation of the state’s anti-open grazing law.

Our correspondent reports that the agreement was reached yesterday during a meeting in Makurdi which was convened by the two special advisers on security to Governor Hyacinth Alia, alongside chairmen of the 23 local government areas, leadership of MACBAN, as well as some traditional rulers in the state.

The Special Adviser on Security and

Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, said at the meeting that the law prohibiting open grazing in the state was still in force and must be obeyed, noting that cattle rearing remains a lucrative business and as such, all who engage in it irrespective of tribe, must practice ranching.

Har emphasised that owners of cattle should provide all facilities needed for their business as government will not take such responsibility even as he harped on the need to have a peace committee between the farmers and herders for strict enforcement of the law, while urging the herders to ask the invaders to leave.

“If you are doing business and someone comes to infringe on it, you will not be happy. Tell them to leave or it will be assumed that you (internal herders) invited them, we will not tolerate anyone infringing on our right. The governor’s silence should not be mistaken for weakness,” the security adviser stressed.

On his part, the State Chairman of MACBAN, Ardo Mohammed Risku, maintained that there must be sincerity by all stakeholders as it concerns ranching, frowning at the insistence on the herders to ranch while others adamantly refuse to ranch.

“Let us be sincere not to bring back the past. We should be sincere about ranching; why should non-Fulani who have cattle not ranch their cattle but they insist the herders must ranch?,” he asked.