By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State House of Assembly on Tuesday gave marching orders to the Special Advisers to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Internal Security, Chief Sgt. Joseph Har (rtd), and that of Security and Strategic Liaison, Lt. Col. Alexander Igbaya Ashungu (rtd), the Commander of Livestock Guards, Linus Zaki, as well as the Commander of Benue Community Volunteer Guards, Captain Ayuma Ajobi (rtd), to resign immediately if they cannot within seven days stop the influx of herdsmen and the accompanying killings currently ongoing on in the state.
Speaker of the House, Aondona Dajoh, gave the marching orders Tuesday when the security heads appeared before the Assembly to explain security situation in the state.
According to Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Akume Raphael, the House frowned at the decision of the Security Adviser on Internal Affairs, Joe Har, to stop livestock guards from arresting herdsmen who disobey the law prohibiting open grazing in the state.
The state lawmakers also demanded to know from the advisers their efforts in upholding the Benue Anti-Open Grazing law enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly.
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Responding, the Security Adviser on Internal Affairs, Chief Sgt. Har, claimed that “the government of His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, is doing a lot in safeguarding the lives and property of Benue indigenes,” adding that most of the efforts were security in nature and can’t be discussed in the open.
On why he stopped the arrest of herdsmen who graze openly, the Security Adviser said upon his assumption of office, he noticed that the challenges faced by the previous administration were so many as some killings were as a result of the activities of the Livestock Guards who allegedly arrested cows but could not properly account for them, leaving the people vulnerable to attacks.
He said there is an ongoing effort of the government in training and profiling of state security outfits to perform optimally and professionally.
However, the explanation of Har was not satisfactory to the Honorable members who told him to do everything possible to protect and enforce the anti-open grazing law as the assembly had no intention whatsoever to repeal the law.
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The lawmakers also gave the advisers and commanders of Community Volunteer and Livestock Guards marching orders to return with favorable results and verifiable poofs to the house next Tuesday or face sanctions.
There has been public outcry by Benue people over the continued influx of herdsmen with their cattle into the state despite a call by the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC) on February 6, 2024, requesting the Benue State Government under Governor Alia to apply the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 to help stop the influx of herders and massive killings being witnessed in the state as a result of farmers-herders conflicts.
