81 herdsmen convicted, 3,000 cows arrested in Benue

At least 81 herdsmen had been convicted in Benue State and 3,000 cows arrested under the state’s anti-open grazing law, the state governor, Samuel Ortom has disclosed.

The governor who said this while delivering a keynote address at the 2019 annual convention of the Idoma association in New York on Saturday, noted that the implementation of the law had brought relative peace to the state.

“We are implementing our law, and there is relative peace. As at today, we have convicted 81 herdsmen. Some have paid fines; others are still in prison as I talk to you,” he said.

“We have gone a step further. Anywhere we see cattle doing open grazing, we go after them. So far, we have arrested over 3,000 cattle.

“The law stipulates that within seven days, owners of such cattle should pay fines and reclaim them. We have been collecting fines from them.”

Ortom spoke on the topic, “Security and Economic Challenges in Benue State’’, which was a modification of the theme of the conference that centred on Idoma land.

He said all parts of the state were facing similar development challenges, including insecurity, infrastructural deficit, unemployment, health and sanitation issues, among others, hence his decision to broaden the scope.

The governor said only four of the 23 local government areas in the state, namely Otukpo, Konshisha, Ushongo and Vandeikya, were spared of conflict between locals and herdsmen in the last six years.

“As at today, herdsmen have attacked 19 of the 23 local governments in Benue, claiming over 5,000 lives between 2013 and 2018,” he said.

“Over 195,000 homes and 30 churches worth billions of Naira were destroyed in the attacks.’’

He commended Idoma people in the U.S. for their support to victims of the Agatu attack in 2016; award of scholarships to Benue students, among others.