Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has spoken out about the difficulty experienced in enforcing the anti-open grazing law because of the limited firepower of local security personnel compared to that of the herdsmen, who are heavily armed.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, the governor explained that members of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards are only permitted to use basic, locally made weapons, while the herders and their militias often carry sophisticated firearms like AK-47s and AK-49s.
“The challenge has always been clear: the state protection guards don’t have the authority to carry automatic rifles. Meanwhile, the herders are often accompanied by armed groups openly carrying assault weapons,” he said. “Even mobile police officers, despite their training and equipment, have fallen to these attackers. How then can local guards with limited arms enforce the law effectively?”
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Governor Alia argued that unless the federal government supports the enforcement of the law nationwide, states like Benue will remain vulnerable. He added that herders often flee to neighboring states like Nasarawa, where there is no similar law, making enforcement even harder.
His statement came in response to criticism from the Benue Advocacy Network, which accused the government of failing to return internally displaced persons (IDPs) as promised and demanded full disclosure of state spending and local government autonomy.
The group, led by its president, Enoch Ortese, said, “Rather than resettling displaced persons, more camps and tents are being built. The people of Benue deserve clarity on the government’s plan for their return.”
In defense, Alia said his administration had cleared six out of the seven months’ salary arrears it inherited and remains committed to restoring stability and accountability in the state.
