Benue Vigilante arrests, releases 10 herders for breaching anti-grazing law

The Vigilante in Benue State have arrested and released at least 10 herders in the past few days following the commencement of implementation of the anti-open grazing law.

The state Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Vigilante, Nember Thomas, told Daily Trust yesterday that the herders were arrested while grazing their animals at different locations within Makurdi metropolis.

Thomas said those arrested were going about with their cows and claiming not to be aware of the new law which came into effect on November 1.

“So we arrested them, educated them on the law and released them,” he said.

The PRO however said apart from those 10, the herders were fully complying with the law across the 23 local government areas of the state, adding that men of the vigilante were spread out in all the localities to ensure law and order.

Inasimilardevelopment, the secretary of Cattle Rearers Association at the International Cattle Market in Makurdi told our correspondent that the Army had allowed them to graze their animals at a designated portion belonging to the 72 Battalion.

Mohammed had earlier appealed to the state government to allow their cattle graze around the market area after the vigilante stationed close to the stream where their cows used to drink water denied them movement.

“The Army of 72 Battalion has allowed us to graze on their land considering the proximity of the market to the barrack. We now graze there and come back pending when government looks into our plight since the cattle are just for trading purposes. We don’t go far more than 2 kilometres,” Mohammed said.