THE Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has disclosed that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the country has taken the state to court, in protest against the planned implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law recently enacted by State Government as a panacea to herders/farmers clashes.

Governor Ortom, who disclosed this on Monday in an interview with journalist at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, said as a law abiding citizen, he was not perturbed by the decision of the cattle breeders to seek to frustrate his peace efforts through legal means, positing that the state would slog it out with the group in court.

The Governor said he was waiting for the court to tell him that it was unlawful for him to initiate a bill for the law and send to the State House of Assembly, stressing that he believes in the rule of law, would never resort to violence in addressing security challenges.

“The enactment of the law was part of my constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property including those of herdsmen since the establishment of ranches is not just for cattle, but for all livestock including pigs, goats and sheep”.

“We await the outcome of the suit filed by the Miyyeti Allah, challenging the Open Grazing Prohibition Law 2017, as they will have to show the court a better way to resolve the herdsmen/farmers crisis, otherwise the law on open grazing prohibition is the right thing to do to protect my people”. – Channels Television

Aug 8, 2017 @ 16:05 GMT