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Tag: Benue

  • Three herdsmen jailed for open grazing in Benue

    Three herdsmen jailed for open grazing in Benue

    Three herdsmen are to spend the next one year in jail after a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court yesterday found them guilty of violating the Benue State Anti-Open Grazing Law, 2017.

    Jailed  are  Iliya Garba, Hassan Abdullahi and Lanshak Lonfalk who were all charged with criminal conspiracy and open nomadic livestock rearing and grazing.

    The offences are punishable under Sections 97 of the Penal Code and 19 (2) of the Open Grazing Prohibition Ranches Establishment Law of Benue, 2017.

    Prosecutor Michael Iorundu told the court that the joint patrol team of “Operation Zenda,” led by Sgt. Edward Shinyi, arrested the herders on February 18.

    He said they were brought to the State Criminal and Investigation Department, Makurdi.

    “The team reported that the three herders and others now at large were openly grazing their cattle along the Yeluwata Road in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue.

    “When the case came up for mention, the herders pleaded guilty to the charge against them, saying that they were not aware that open grazing had been prohibited in Benue State,’’he said.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Lillian Tsumba said the herders were first offenders who were also illiterates and not even aware that open grazing has been prohibited in Benue.

    Tsumba said a law such as open grazing prohibition required massive exposure and education of persons at the grassroots.

    She, however, said law is law and must be obeyed in spite ignorance.

    The magistrate sentenced the herders to a year imprisonment each, with N500,000 option of fine each.

  • Benue: Three herders jailed one year each for open grazing

    Benue: Three herders jailed one year each for open grazing

    A Makurdi Magistrates’ Court in Benue sentenced three herders, Iliya Garba, Hassan Abdullahi, and Lanshak Lonfalk, to a year imprison each, for violating Benue Anti-Open Grazing Law, 2017.

    The convicts were charged with criminal conspiracy and open nomadic livestock rearing and grazing.

    The offences are punishable under Sections 97 of the Penal Code and 19 (2) of the Open Grazing Prohibition Ranches Establishment Law of Benue, 2017.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Michael Iorundu, told the court that the joint patrol team of ‘Operation Zenda’, led by Sgt. Edward Shinyi, arrested the herders on Feb. 18.

    He said that they were brought to the State Criminal and Investigation Department, Makurdi.

    “The team reported that the three herders, and others now at large, were openly grazing    their cattle along Yeluwata Road in Guma Local Government Area of Benue.

    “When the case came up for mention, the herders pleaded guilty to the charge against them, saying that they were not aware that open grazing had been prohibited in Benue,’’ he said.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Lillian Tsumba said that the herders were first offenders who were also illiterates and not even aware that open grazing has been prohibited in Benue.

    Tsumba said that a law such as open grazing prohibition required massive exposure and education of persons at the grassroots.

    She, however, said law is law and must be obeyed in spite ignorance.

    The magistrate sentenced the herders to a year imprison each, with N500,000 option of fine each.

    NAN

  • Benue killings: Grief and tears in myth

    SIR: Like Queen Niobe and the legendary Electra in Greek mythologies, the pains and grief of watching his subjects helplessly being massacred so hardened Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom’s resolve to damn whatever consequences even at the expense of being governor or loosing political party patronage. He cried out loudly to expose the injustice being visited on the innocent citizens through the war of genocide by a group that appeared to have the backing of some conspiratorial patrons. And instead of maintaining studied silence of helplessness or bias, some power brokers and attention seekers chose to add to the existing grief by making hate speeches to add salt to injury.

    For instance, to suggest that the killings in Benue State are as a result of communal clash or because of the enactment of anti – open grazing law appears to be gross insincerity and a hate speech.  For one to suggest that the killings are justified because of blockade of grazing routes smacks of complete ignorance, and it also amounts to hate speech.

    Meanwhile the killings continued unabated and so also are the stream of grief and tears in the land.  The massive deployment of police force and the relocation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris to Benue State which the president graciously ordered became a hide and seek exercise and did nothing much to assuage the tension.  Many people wondered and even cried out for deployment of the core military to crush the invaders as had been done elsewhere with ‘Operation Python Dance’ and others but the commander- in – chief who himself is a war veteran had the ace.

    He had great confidence in the ability and capacity of the police to perform.  Thus when the president wrote a letter to the Senate enumerating the steps he had taken to quell the crisis, ordering the relocation of IGP and the visit of the Minister of Interior to Benue State were listed as part of his efforts to tackle the menace.

    Despite all that, the killings continued and even spread further.  Citizens became completely disenchanted and called for more serious actions from the federal government. Those who criticized the poor handling of the situation by the federal government were branded as making hate speeches.  Those who commended or justified the killings and condemned Benue State government for enacting the anti-open grazing law were branded patriots and pampered with a studied golden silence. When the body language of officialdom suggested bias or tacit support for the agent provocateur, some poodles misread the horizon and played along.  So instead of making statements that should help to douse the tension, they justified the killings through hate speeches including verbal insults by describing the embattled governor as ‘a drowning man’, feeling that such was the officially recognized position.

    Thus despite the massive massacres going on, a chief executive of a state would describe it as a political game to beg for money. Ordinarily such would have been described as the worst of all hate speeches but it was greeted with loud silence as a mark of acquiescence.  So the orgy of killings continued with its attendant grief and tears among the hapless natives.

    However, during a recent visit to Nassarawa State, the president came down heavily on the perpetrators of the senseless killings and threatened to have them arrested.  He followed by directing the deployment a special military squad known as operation ‘Ayem A Kpatuma’ or ‘Cat Race’ to all the troubled areas in Benue and other states within the North Central Zone. With these presidential initiatives, it is hoped that the bloodbath in the Benue valley will subside and life return to normalcy again, and the citizens saved the reality and trauma of the mythological grief and tears.

     

    • Professor Jerry Agada,

    Makurdi.

  • IG Idris: normalcy returning to Benue

    IG Idris: normalcy returning to Benue

    •’Nasarawa not at war with Benue’

    The Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has said peace is gradually returning to Benue State.

    Idris spoke at yesterday’s peace meeting with stakeholders from Benue and Nasarawa states in Abuja.

    It is the second meeting by the IGP as part of measures to end crisis in both states. The first, scheduled for January 15, was stalled because both governors were absent.

    The Benue delegation was led by Deputy Governor Benson Abuonu; Nasarawa delegation by Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Dr. Muhammad Adeka.

    The meeting, Idris said, was geared towards having lasting peace in both states.

    He said: “I know a lot of effort and progress have been made in trying to resolve the crisis between both states, because I was in both states and I conducted an on-the-spot assessment.

    “The DIG Operations is presently in Benue to coordinate our operation in that area and from his feedback, the situation is getting back to normal.

    “By the grace of God, I am sure the challenge we had in the past will never come back to us.”

    Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura was represented by Adeka, who said Nasarawa was not at war with Benue State.

    He said: “I don’t want the people to leave here with the notion that the government or the people of both states are at war because of the word “peace and reconciliation” which is used to describe the meeting.

    “Nasarawa State does not have any problem with Benue State. We have our conflict resolution mechanism which has helped us for long, and we are willing to give it to Benue to resolve whatever skirmishes it has.

    “The only thing that concerns us is the ripple effect of the open grazing prohibition law, which the government and people of Nasarawa State are not in a position to contradict. We are not against the law, but the ripple effect has affected us severely. We, however, won’t chase the people away. Our government has done everything to accommodate all those running away from the law.”

    Abuonu said the state would ensure that the people experience permanent peace.

    He said: “The best we can do for our children and children’s children is to maintain peace so that cordiality exists between both states.

    “We cannot afford to have anything less than peace. If we must develop a strong united country, then we must have peace that is founded on justice, equality, security and equity.

    “Benue is hundred per cent for peace, and we will do everything possible to ensure that the current crisis is resolved.”

  • Reps probe Benue, Rivers, Kaduna, other killings

    Reps probe Benue, Rivers, Kaduna, other killings

    Military service and intelligence chiefs are to face the House of Representatives over killings in Benue, Rivers, Zamfara and other states across the country.

    The service chiefs are to avail the lawmakers with details of their intervention and strategies aimed at preventing future occurrence, it learnt yesterday.

    The lawmakers, however, expressed concerns over a stereotypical attribution of every killing to a particular group, irrespective of where they took place.

    They said such conclusions hinder paths to enduring solutions to the challenge.

    Speaking at a news briefing yesterday, Chairman of the ad hoc committee mandated to carry out the investigation Pally Iriase said the House was not unaware of a number of efforts and approaches by other organs and agencies of government to tackle the problem.

    Iriase, who is also the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, however, regretted that the efforts, while still ongoing, were being impacted by “strait – laced narratives, political innuendos and ethno-religious distrust”.

    He said: “In fact, some of these strait-laced narratives have tended to ascribe all killings to a single cause, thus jettisoning the need to rigorously interrogate the happenings with an open, unbiased and nonpartisan mind.

    “The seven-man Committee is bipartisan, multi-ethnic and multi-religious in composition and we are enjoined to approach this important national assignment with an open mind and adopt an intelligence gathering focus.

    “To achieve our goal in this onerous task, we have adopted a proactive approach that will see us embark on visitation and interaction with victims by visiting a number of carefully selected areas that have been attacked severally, interact with the victims, survivors and other critical stakeholders.

    “We will also interact with the security chiefs, in addition to our foreign partners.”

    Iriase added: “To assure Nigerians that it is going to be an all – inclusive engagement, a public hearing that will afford Nigerians the opportunity to air their grievances and proffer solutions will also be conducted.”

  • Reps to investigate killings in Benue, Rivers, others

    Reps to investigate killings in Benue, Rivers, others

    Worried by the killings in Benue, Rivers, Zamfara and other states across the country, Nigerian military service and intelligence chiefs are to face the House of Representatives over killings across the country.

    The service chiefs are to avail the lawmakers’ details of their intervention and strategies aimed at preventing future occurrence, it emerged Tuesday.

    The lawmakers however expressed concerns over a stereotypical attribution of every killing to a particular group irrespective of where they took place.

    They said such conclusions hinder paths to enduring solutions to the challenge.

    Speaking at a press briefing Tuesday, Chairman of the ad hoc committee mandated to carry out the investigation, Pally Iriase said the House was not unaware of a number of efforts and approaches by other organs and agencies of government to tackle the problem.

    Iriase who is also the Deputy Chief Whip of the House however regretted that the efforts, while still ongoing, are being impacted by strait – laced narratives, political innuendos and ethno-religious distrust.

    He said: “In fact some of these strait – laced narratives have tended to ascribe all killibgs to a single cause, thus jettisoning the need to rigorously interrogate the happenings with an open, unbiased and nonpartisan mind.

    “The seven-man Committee is bipartisan, multi-ethnic and multi-religious in composition and we are enjoined to approach this important national assignment with an open mind and adopt an Intelligence gathering focus.

    “To achieve our goal in this onerous task, we have adopted a proactive approach that will see us embark on visitation and interaction with victims by visiting a number of carefully selected areas that have been attacked severally, interact with the victims, survivors and other critical stakeholders.

    “We will also interact with the security chiefs, in addition to our foreign partners.

    “To assure Nigerians that it is going to be an all – inclusive engagement, a public hearing that will afford Nigerians the opportunity to air their grievances and proffer solutions will also be conducted.

    “It must however be emphasized that intelligence gathering is going to be our major focus because the aim is to identify the remote and immediate causes of these killings enable us proffer solutions from informed position”.

    Saying that the approaching 2019 electioneering activities would not affect the commitment of the Committee members, Iriase noted that the issue is more important to the country.

    “2019 election and activities towards its prosecution will not affect us because it is only in an atmosphere of peace that election can hold.

    “To us this assignment is more important than the election and this is the reason why the House will make the report available to Mr President when we are done,” he added.

  • From Benue to Zamfara

    From Benue to Zamfara

    IT is tempting to describe the horrendous killings in Zamfara last week as poetic justice, considering how many state governors quibbled over herdsmen killings, including the Nigeria Governor’s Forum delegation that visited Benue after the New Year’s Day attack that led to the killing of some 73 people in parts of the state. But it really is not justice of any kind. Instead the Zamfara killings that led to the death of about 40 persons last week represent something much more sinister, more worrisome, and more threatening to national stability. Though Governor Abdulaziz Yari, who is also chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF), argued on February 1 that herdsmen/farmers clashes had been going on since 2007 in Zamfara, he seemed to have downplayed the significance of the killings by suggesting that criminal elements had hijacked the clashes and turned it into a money-making venture.

    But quite clearly, whether criminals were making money out of people’s misery or not, the threat of destabilisation the killings constitute to the country should propel the government into taking very firm and intelligent measures to stop the flow of blood in many parts of Nigeria. For whether the government wants to hear it or not, the country is in turmoil, and that turmoil is quite bloody and deeply unnerving. The turmoil obviously predated the assumption of office of President Muhammadu Buhari, but by a combination of weak policies, misapplied panaceas, and appointment of officials whose ideas and competence have been repeatedly called into question, the problem has been left to fester very badly and dangerously.

    There is hardly any part of Nigeria that is not threatened by one militia or the other or plain criminal groups, whether cattle rustlers, kidnappers or even armed robbers. Compounding the problem is the disturbing lack of responsiveness by law enforcement agencies. When they do not misinterpret the criminal phenomenon unfolding before their eyes, they lack either the personnel or the logistics to combat the problems. Hear Gov Yari’s plaintive cry: “Whatever was humanly possible that needed to be done, we as a government have done to mitigate this disaster. But it does appear that security agencies are failing in their responsibilities. I feel let down facing the people of this state whenever I remember the promise I made to them that if they elected President Muhammadu Buhari into power, these killings would end. But unfortunately, things are now getting worse. As such, I urge security agencies to up the ante so as not to lose this war. If you let us put the matter in our hands, anarchy will reign, which is not what we hope for. On this particular incident, we had intelligence reports 24 hours before it happened, that the bandits were grouping and ready to attack. I alerted the security agencies but unfortunately, they sent inadequate personnel to confront these people.”

    When the Benue crisis began many years ago, there were warnings that it needed to be nipped in the bud before it ballooned out of control. Some 73 people were massacred on New Year’s Day, and both the killings and burial assumed very dramatic colourations. However, in the same Benue, more than 300 people were killed in early 2016  in Agatu local government and environs, with both the police and the government disputing the casualty figure rather than be gingered into taking concrete actions to forestall future occurrences. Now, Benue is delicately poised on the tip of a disaster, pinning down thousands of security agencies, including the army, and with allegations of official collusion or connivance.

    It was Zamfara last week. Who knows which state will be next on the blood line? It speaks to the country’s sense of inurement against bloodshed and the government’s indefensible apathy that little attention is paid to crises where less than four or five people are killed. The media and the government tend to weigh the nuisance value of the crisis by the casualty figure. This is awfully wrong. Every militia-related killing, whether by herdsmen or farmers, or even by kidnappers and armed robbers and cattle rustlers, must be denounced and must attract government’s full attention and objectivity. The proper way to begin is for the government to re-examine its security architecture, not simply by tinkering with a panicky resort to state police, as desirable and appropriate as this is, but by a measured and sincere calibration and redistribution of its law enforcement assets. Nigeria’s security architecture is today obsolete, inefficient, deliberately not inclusive, and seemed designed to fail. If real change is not introduced to rejig the country’s security system, the situation can become really uncontrollable. And for Nigeria, where there is hardly any state at peace, the prospect can be truly frightening. The government must stop pretending not to appreciate the disaster ahead.

  • Benue University postpones examination over students’ protest

    Benue University postpones examination over students’ protest

    The management of the Benue State University on Friday postponed its planned session examination over students’ protest.

    The Newsmen report that the leadership of the students’ union, barricaded the entrance gate to the institution as early as 6a.m to protest management’s directive of `no fees, no examination for any student’.

    Some of the students, who carried placards with various inscriptions, told Newsmen that the state-owned institution’s decision was not justifiable, since the state government also owed their parents salary arrears and allowances.

    Some of the placards had inscriptions like: “What will our parents use for payment of school fees, when salaries of over a year are not paid?”

    Some of the students, who spoke with Newsmen, called for the immediate intervention of the state governor on the issue.

    Read Also:  BenueAttacks push pupils out of school

    According to them, the state government’s inaction had left our parents in terrible financial situation.

    Charity Akor told Newsmen that her parents were both civil servants, owed back log of salaries, but have three of their children in higher the institutions.

    Mike Ibiam, also a student told Newsmen that “this is a state institution and the government must show understanding with the students.

    “This is so because the state government that owns this institution, had also not paid its workers, our parents, who need their wages to pay our fees,‘’ he said.

    However, as at the time of filing this report, management of the institution had announced the immediate suspension of examinations, scheduled to have commenced Friday, but no official of the school was willing to comment on the situation.

    NAN

     

  • NBS report: Osun, Abia, Benue paid highest petrol price in January

    NBS report: Osun, Abia, Benue paid highest petrol price in January

    The National Bureau of State (NBS) said residents of Osun, Abia and Benue states paid the highest average price for purchase of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), or petrol, in January.

    The NBS stated this in “Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for January 2018” posted on its website.

    The bureau noted that in Osun, petrol was sold for N228.89 per litre; in Abia, it was N227.50 per litre, while it was N223.33 per litre in Benue.

    According to the report, average price paid by consumers for petrol increased by 28.4 per cent year-on-year and ll.1 per cent month-on-month to N190.9 in January 2018 from N171.8 in December 2017.

    It noted that states with the lowest average price of petrol were Zamfara, Gombe and Kogi, adding that a litre was sold for N159.12, N157.73 and N152.83 in Zamfara, Gombe and Kogi.

    This showed that Nigerians bought the product more than the official pump price of N145 per litre.

    Also, the NBS said in its National Household Kerosene Price Watch for January, the average price per litre paid by consumers for kerosene increased by 1.70 per cent month-on-month.

    The bureau stated that the price per litre paid by consumers decreased by-33.42 per cent year-on-year to N288.85 in January from N284.03 in last December.

    It added that states with the highest average price per litre of kerosene were Gombe (N332.37), Edo (N326.39) and Benue (N325.64).

    Besides, states with the lowest average price per litre of kerosene were Zamfara (N237.50), Kaduna (N241.23) and Kebbi (N242.98).

    Similarly, average price per gallon paid by consumers for the product decreased by -2.30 per cent month-on-month and by -28.56 per cent year-on-year to N1,024.83 in January 2018 from N1,048.97 in December 2017.

    It stated that states with the highest average price per gallon of kerosene were Kebbi (N1,253.33), Borno (N1,188.46) and Ekiti (N1,180.00).

    It also stated that states with the lowest average price per gallon of kerosene were Benue, which sold the product as N855.00 per gallon, Delta for N875.00 and Abuja for N875.30 per gallon.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Benue, Nasarawa herdsmen embrace anti-open grazing law, says Umahi

    Benue, Nasarawa herdsmen embrace anti-open grazing law, says Umahi

    Leader of the sub technical committee of the National Economic Council mediating between farmers and herdsmen, Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, said yesterday Fulani herdsmen  in Benue and Nasarawa states have agreed  to  adhere to the anti- open grazing law but pleaded for more time.

    Umahi, who gave reporters the outcome of the panel’s visit to Benue and Nasarawa states, said the herdsmen pleaded to be given enough time to  commence ranching and or move to states with grazing reserves.

    “The cheering news is that the herdsmen in Benue and Nasarawa states are ready to abide by the law but that they would need more time for ranching and support from the Federal Government,” he said.

    He said: “We as a committee noted that there are over two million hectares of land across 19 northern Nigeria and over one million of them have been already gazetted as grazing reserve and this one million is already developed.

    “There is a place in Gombe State that about 375 hectares are developed as grazing reserve. We have 74,000 hactare in Kaduna and there is another location that has over 150,000 hectares of land that have already been developed.”

    Umahi said there was need for the Federal Government to help in the development of grazing reserves and  to start  seeing  animal husbandry as economic venture by giving soft loans to owners.

    He said: “The Federal Government should begin development of grazing reserves. The CBN anchor borrower scheme that has succeeded  in agricultural sector should  be extended to animal husbandry, the animal husbandry should be  seen as economic venture for government  to invest in by giving soft loan”.

    He noted that the Federal Government through NEMA  needed  to come to the aid of both states , saying, ‘because there is no amount of the states’ resources that can assist the people in the camps.’

    While stating that there were over 110,000  displaced persons in the seven designated camps in Benue State, the governor  said: “Children between the ages of four and eight constitute 70%  of the population and the conditions we saw them is not palatable.”

    “We owe it a duty to give better lives to these people.”

    Umahi said the committee observed that  governors of Nasarawa and Benue states were committed to peace as identified by the security agencies.

    “It was observed that both governors shared information, opinions and there is no crisis between them”, Governor Umahi said.

    He added that all parties (both herdsmen and farmers) talked   about invasion by undocumented herdsmen that come from other countries and demanded that they should follow international ECOWAS  rules and that all their cattle  must be quarantined.

    Umahi said that the Fulani denied the claim of conquest of Benue valley shifting the blame on the social media The committee members arrived in Makurdi, Benue State capital on Saturday on fact-finding mission to look for ways to proffer lasting solution to the incessant crises between farmers and herdsmen across the country.

    Umahi said the sub technical committee met with all the stakeholders both in Benue and Masarawa states.

    According to him, ‘the committee met with leaders  and farmers  in Benue State as well as  Benue herdsmen already relocated to Nasarawa and the herdsmen resident in Nasarawa so also the Tiv indigenes of Nasarwa state.’

    “We have agreed by all parties to these unfortunate incidents that we will pursue peace and that all those with illegal weapons must be arrested

    He also applauded the security operatives in both states but called on more deployment of troops to assist in early decongestion of the camps