Anti-open grazing law: Nobody can dictate to me – Ortom

By Daniel Agbo

Makurdi

With barely one week to the implementation of anti open grazing law, Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom yesterday said no forces from outside the state could dictate to him when or whether to implement the law or not.
Ortom, who made this position known in Makurdi while responding to a question on the threats issued by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore over the implementation of the law, maintained that the group was a splinter group of herdsmen politicians out to destabilize the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor noted that no amount of intimidation or threats will deter him from implementing the law on November 1.
“No amount of intimidation or threats can stop the Benue state government from implementing the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law, beginning from Wednesday next week,” he maintained.
Ortom said the law against open-grazing was the product of due legal process and that his assenting to it was his legitimate responsibility, saying he would follow the counsel of his people who elected him.
He disclosed that, already, he had reported the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore to the President, the National Security Adviser and security agencies to have them arrested and expressed the hope that the desired response would be achieved.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Anthony Ijohor, described Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s claim to the original ownership of the Benue Valley as wild and not backed by any historical fact, adding that the association could not twist history.
Ijohor said “the law against open grazing is the peoples’ law, having followed due process and elicited the overwhelming acceptance of the people of Benue.”
He pointed out that since it is a Benue law, all residents within the state have no alternative to obeying it.

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