Three herders convicted for open grazing in Benue

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

A Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Mr  Isaac Ajim has  convicted three herdsmen Haruna Adamu, Ibrahim Adamu and Iliyasu Adam, all of Nassarawa State, for violating the open grazing prohibition law in Benue State.

When the case came up, police prosecuting officer, ASP Hyacinth Gbakor, told the court that on Saturday, March 21, 2020, the  commander of Benue State Livestock Guards, Linus Zaki while on patrol with his team saw the three herders with cows grazing at Udei, Guma Local Government Area of the state.

The livestock guards  arrested the herders for contravening the law.

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The three accused persons pleaded guilty to the charge.

Trial Magistrate, Mr Ajim convicted the  three herdsmen and sentenced them to one year in prison.

On listening to their plea for leniency, the trial Chief Magistrate, Mr Ajim tempered justice with mercy and fined the convicts the sum  of N500,000 with an option of one year in prison as first offenders.

He told the herdsmen that the law was not targeted at any ethnic group, but to forestall clashes between herders and farmers.