By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja
Members of the House of Representatives of Benue state extraction have declared their support for the full implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017, recently signed into law by Governor Samuel Ortom.
Insisting that it was a matter of law now, which everyone must obey, the lawmakers also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order security agencies to ensure the full implementation of the law.
Spokesman of the Benue caucus, Hon. John Dyegh, who represents Gboko/Tarka federal constituency, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja at the weekend, describing the law as “the best thing that has happened to the state since its creation in 1976.”
He advised the umbrella organisation of herders, the Miyetti Allah, to act within the confines of the law and “desist from issuing threats and making inflammatory statements capable of provoking crisis in the state,” adding that the people of Benue must be protected by the federal government and should not be reduced to second-class citizens.
He explained that the well-publicised legislation was not targeted at any person or group of persons in the state; rather it was intended to bring lasting peace on the issue of farmers- herdsmen clashes.
The lawmaker also drew the attention of the federal government to the threats by Myetti Allah Kautal Hore and the unlawful activities of herdsmen who still openly graze their cattle in Agatu and Apa local government areas of the state.
“The federal government must, therefore, live up to her responsibility of protecting life and property and support the full implementation of this law so that the largely agrarian people of Benue people can resume their farming activities and sleep with their two eyes closed,” he said.
