The council emphasized that the law is permanent and called on all herders and stakeholders to comply with its provisions.
During the council's meeting in Makurdi, chaired by Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, it was resolved that all sectors in the state must actively enforce the law.
To facilitate this, a sub-committee comprising the Commissioner of Police, Director of State Security Services, Traditional Rulers, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Immigration, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (BLGCA), and Office of the Security Adviser was established, which will identify the leaders of Fulani herders and provide a report to the Security Council within three weeks.
The council's resolutions emphasized that the Anti-open grazing law remains in effect in Benue State, and all stakeholders are expected to acknowledge and comply with this reality.
“No single approach should be adopted but two or more, including dialogue approach and stakeholders in the various sectors to ensure enforcement of the anti – grazing Law that has come to stay.
“All the stakeholders especially the law enforcement agents should show sincerity in the implementation/enforcement of the Anti-Open Grazing Law currently in place in the State.
“Emphasis now should be on prevention of attack by the armed/criminal herders rather than the reactionary approach. And there should be no rustling of cattle in the State.”
The Council also noted the need to have peaceful environment for the huge number of Internally Displaced, IDPs, in the state to return to their ancestral homes.
While the Chief of Staff to the Governor was also directed to liaise with the Deputy Governor to look at the report on the boundary issue between Ohimini and Otukpo Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state “as discussed in the previous meeting.”
