By Amos Aar
THE TIV Area Traditional Council (TATC) has called on the Benue State Government to apply the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 to help quell the renewed massive killings being witnessed in the state as a result of farmers-herders conflicts.
According to the Special Assistant to the Tor Tiv on Media and ICT, Freddie Adamgbe, TATC made the call on Monday in a communiqué issued after its emergency meeting held at the Tor Tiv Palace in Gboko, presided over by the Paramount Ruler of the Tiv Nation, Prof. James Iorzua Ayatse.
TATC expressed concern over the influx of heavily armed herdsmen escorting cattle in their droves into the state, saying the anti-open grazing law enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly would stop the act if fully implemented.
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The council therefore asked the Benue State Government to direct security agencies in the state to enforce the law of the state to defend its citizens from attacks.
The communiqué, entitled, “Tiv Area Traditional Council Laments Influx of Herdsmen”, reads: “Tiv Area Traditional Council held an emergency meeting in the Tor Tiv Palace in Gboko, presided over by its President, Orcivirigh Prof James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse CFR, and expressed worry over the return of heavily armed herdsmen with their cattles [sic] running into thousands.
“The Council wondered why despite the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of the state still in force but the herdsmen have returned and even this time with more dangerous weapons such as AK 49 and grazing recklessly.
“The Council therefore appealed to the Benue State Government to direct relevant security agencies in the state to rise up to their task of defending the innocent poor citizens by enforcing the anti-open grazing law of the state.
“The Tiv Area Traditional Council also frowned at the unpermissible [sic] manner the Tiv youths recklessly announced the deaths of traditional rulers on Facebook and other media outfits describing the actions as abominable and vowed to employ all necessary punitive measures to curb the trend.
“Furthermore, TATC mourned the death of its member, the Tor Sankera, who was the First Class Traditional Ruler in charge of Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum Local Government Areas (also known as Sankera Intermediate Area) HRH Abu King Shuluwa.
“Before his death, HRH Abu King Shuluwa (Tor Sankera) held the honorific Chieftaincy title of the Sema Wan u Tiv and was also a member of the Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers.
“The Council directed its members to convene at the palace of the Tor Tiv Gboko for a valedictory session in honour of the late Tor Sankera on Thursday 8th February, 2024 by 12 noon before proceeding to Sankera”.
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There has been a heavy presence of herdsmen and cattle in Benue State in the past few days after a threatening press release accredited to the leadership of Fulani Nationalist Movement (FUNAM) in which they gave a 72-hour ultimatum that they would profile five states including Benue to be attacked if the President, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, was not released by the federal government.
There is viral video showing the influx of one of the batches of herdsmen into Makurdi, Benue State capital, who are allegedly camping at Kanshio area along Makurdi-Aliade Road. Agatu and Logo local government areas which are at the state’s borders have been under fierce attacks by suspected herdsmen since they allegedly made the threat.
