Frustrated herders ready to vacate Benue valley

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue state chapter, has stated that its members were ready to leave the Benue valley as the November 1 deadline for the implementation of the state’s Anti-Open Grazing Law draws nearer.
Chairman of the association, Garus Gololo, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Makurdi that since the government made no provision to accommodate their cattle and was insistent on the implementation of the law, they had no option than to leave the state.
He said: “This law is confusing; for instance, they have said they are not chasing out the Fulani’s from the state but they have made no provision for our cattle, the cattle markets and even other cattle.
“They have told us to buy land for ranches, but the question is from who; you know that the process of getting land from the government is tedious, yet they are insisting that we must buy land for ranches.
“When you buy the land, you need the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to qualify for ownership, how can we get all this within the time frame given by the government?”
He said although the government had repeatedly explained that the law was not against the Fulani herdsmen, the requirements of the law were stringent and could not be met by the herdsmen within the time frame set by the government.
He said all entreaties to the government for extension of the time frame failed as Governor Samuel Ortom insisted there was no going back on the November 1 dateline for the implementation of the law.
Reacting to the claims by Gololo, Benue Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Lawrence Onoja Jr., said enough time was given for land acquisition and the building of ranches.
He said the recent decision of the government to unbundle the procedure for land acquisition and reduce the cost of Certificate of Occupancy was to facilitate the process of land acquisition.
He explained that the law was not against any particular people but was aimed at livestock protection, stating that it also applied to indigenes of the state who had cattle and other livestock.
He said those who were unable to meet the requirement were free to leave the state.