The House of Representatives on Thursday directed its committee on legislative compliance to investigate the failure by the Police and other security agencies to enforce the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches establishment.
The resolution followed a motion under matters of urgent national importance by Mr. Hassan Saleh (Benue-APC), for an “urgent call on the Federal government to ensure the enforcement of the open grazing prohibition and ranching law in Benue State.
Moving the motion, Saleh explained that on Monday, March 5, 2018, no fewer than 26 persons were killed by suspected herdsmen.
According to him, “when the heavily armed herdsmen stormed the village, some of them started burning down houses while others were shooting sporadically and also butchered many of the villagers.”
He said: “Despite the widespread condemnation of the killings going on in Benue State, many of the perpetrators of this heinous crimes have not been arrested and prosecuted by the Police. This has led to the continuation of the killings in the state.”
He said “the herdsmen and their sociocultural organization known as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association have vowed to continue killing the citizens of Benue State until the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Law is repealed.”
The lawmaker emphasised that Benue State as a unit of the Federation is empowered by the 1999 Constitution.
“To enact laws that would promote peace, unity and prosperity among the citizens of the State, and everyone dwelling in the State is under obligation to obey such laws.”
According to him, there is need for the Federal government to reiterate the call on the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to take necessary measures.
“The measure is to enforce the Benue Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Law in order to ensure that peace is fully restored to the State.”
The committee has been given six weeks to submit its report for further legislative action.
The House also tasked the Inspector General of Police and all security agencies in Benue State to arrest the perpetrators of the gruesome killings.
