By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
The renewed influx of heavily armed Fulani herdsmen into Tiv and parts of Idoma land of Benue State is causing deep worry to the Tiv Area Traditional Council, TATC, resulting in a call by the Council to the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia to implement the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017, which is in force in the state without delay to save the state from further bloodbath.
Arising from its emergency meeting held at the Tor Tiv Palace Gboko, the Tiv Area Traditional Council, TATC, in a communique made available to The AUTHORITY newspaper by Mr Freddie Adamgbe, Special Assistant to the Tor Tiv on Media and ICT, urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to implement the State’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 to help stop the renewed massive killings of locales by the herdsmen.
The meeting which was chaired by the Tor Tiv, H. R.H. Prof. James Iorzua Ayatse and had in attendance all the five first-class Chiefs, all the twelve class Chiefs, frowned at the influx of heavily armed Fulani herdsmen in their thousands daily, and pointed out that only the full implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly can help the situation.
TATC then exhorted the Benue State Government to direct security agencies in the state to commence enforcement of the law to save the people from the looming carnage masterminded by the herdsmen.
The council wondered why despite the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of the state which is still in force the herdsmen have returned and even this time with more dangerous weapons such as AK 49 and grazing recklessly.
The Council also frowned at the impermissible manner Tiv youths recklessly announced the deaths of traditional rulers on social media, describing the actions as abominable and vowing to employ necessary punitive measures to curb the trend.
