Court halts IGP from proscribing Benue livestock guards

A High Court sitting in Makurdi on Thursday halted the Inspector
General of Police (IGP) and the Benue State Commissioner of Police
from prohibiting or shutting down offices of the Benue State
Livestock Guards in any part of the State.

Justice Austine Ityonyiman, who presided over the court also in
the interim order restrained the IGP and the Benue State
Commissioner of Police from preventing officers of the livestock
guards from carrying out their functions of implementing the
state’s anti-open law, pending the determination of the motion on
notice brought before the court.

The Benue state government through its counsel, Douglas Pepe,
had prayed the court to restrain the Nigerian Police whom he stated
where acting outside the scope of their constitutional mandate and
the court granted the request.

Pepe had argued that the livestock guards was a creation of the
law and the body was carrying out its functions as stipulated by
the legislation establishing it.

The judge after listening to the argument of Pepe, and carefully
perusing through the affidavit in support of the motion, upheld the
counsel’s application pending the determination of the motion on
notice.

The matter has been adjourned to November 23, for hearing.