Sustained Attacks Won’t Make Us Repeal Grazing Law — Ortom

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has insisted that the
sustained attacks on Benue people will not force his administration
to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment
Law.

He maintained that anyone who thinks that the state government
would be intimidated to repeal the law would be making a great
mistake as according to him, his administration is trying to amend
the law to increase the penalties against anyone who flouts the
law.

The Governor stated this on Saturday at the Banquet Hall of the
Government House in Makurdi while giving his midterm scorecard as
part of activities marking this year’s Democracy Day.

“This law has come to stay and no amount of intimidation can
make us repeal it. Instead, we will soon amend the law in order to
increase the penalties against offenders.”

Governor Ortom who reeled out his administration’s achievements
in the areas of education, agriculture, infrastructure, health
among others, however, lamented the humanitarian situation caused
by the continued attacks by armed Herdsmen, bandits and other
criminals in Benue communities.

“The security threat from armed herdsmen, bandits and other
criminals in our communities has resulted in wanton killings and
the displacement of people in large numbers across the state.

“Today, Benue State has over one million IDPs with many of them
living in the camps we have set up and others staying with their
relations. The situation has created an unprecedented humanitarian
crisis in the state.

He regretted that despite the huge sums of money his
administration has been spending to cater for the Internally
displaced persons, resources are always inadequate because the
number of IDPs is daily increasing.

“My desire is to ensure that the IDPs return to their ancestral
homes. Most of them are farmers, and the longer they stay in the
camps, the more food production is affected. We hope that the
federal government will also fulfil its promise to assist Benue and
other states in the North Central which have been badly affected by
the attacks to resettle the victims.”

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has insisted that the
sustained attacks on Benue people will not force his administration
to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment
Law.

He maintained that anyone who thinks that the state government
would be intimidated to repeal the law would be making a great
mistake as according to him, his administration is trying to amend
the law to increase the penalties against anyone who flouts the
law.

The Governor stated this on Saturday at the Banquet Hall of the
Government House in Makurdi while giving his midterm scorecard as
part of activities marking this year’s Democracy Day.

“This law has come to stay and no amount of intimidation can
make us repeal it. Instead, we will soon amend the law in order to
increase the penalties against offenders.”

Governor Ortom who reeled out his administration’s achievements
in the areas of education, agriculture, infrastructure, health
among others, however, lamented the humanitarian situation caused
by the continued attacks by armed Herdsmen, bandits and other
criminals in Benue communities.

“The security threat from armed herdsmen, bandits and other
criminals in our communities has resulted in wanton killings and
the displacement of people in large numbers across the state.

“Today, Benue State has over one million IDPs with many of them
living in the camps we have set up and others staying with their
relations. The situation has created an unprecedented humanitarian
crisis in the state.

He regretted that despite the huge sums of money his
administration has been spending to cater for the Internally
displaced persons, resources are always inadequate because the
number of IDPs is daily increasing.

“My desire is to ensure that the IDPs return to their ancestral
homes. Most of them are farmers, and the longer they stay in the
camps, the more food production is affected. We hope that the
federal government will also fulfil its promise to assist Benue and
other states in the North Central which have been badly affected by
the attacks to resettle the victims.”