By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
The Benue State House of Assembly has asked the security Advisers to Governor Alia, Chief Sergeant Joe Har (rtd), Alexander Igbaya Ashungu, the Commander of Livestock Guards, and the Commander, of Benue Community volunteer Guards to resign immediately if they can not stop the influx of herdsmen and the accompanying killings currently ongoing within the state, in the next (7) seven days.
This mandate was handed down at the Assembly’s interactive session with the security Advisers, the commanders of Community volunteer, Captain Ayuma Ajobi (rtd), and Livestock Guards, Linus Zaki at the Assembly complex on Tuesday.
The Sitting which was presided over by the honourable speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Chief Aondona Dajoh, the house also frowned at the decision of the Security Adviser on Internal Affairs, Joe Har to stop livestock guards from arresting herdsmen who disobeyed the law prohibiting open grazing in the state.
The interactive session featured questions from Honorable members seeking to know the state of things by inquiring from the advisers, why the livestock guards and community volunteer Guards have stopped arresting Herdsmen who graze openly, and what they are doing to stop the killings currently ongoing among Benue villages.
The honourable members also requested to know from the Advisers their efforts in upholding the Benue Anti-Open Grazing law enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly.
Responding to the many questions asked by the Honorable members of the assembly, the Security Adviser on Internal Affairs, Sgt Joe Har said the government of His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Alia is doing a lot in safeguarding the lives and property of the Benue indigenes and added that most of the efforts are security in nature and can’t be discussed in the open.
On the issue of herdsmen, the Security Adviser said at his assumption of office, he noticed that the challenges faced by the previous administration where so many people were killed, were a result of the activities of the Livestock Guards who arrested cows and could not properly account for them leaving the people vulnerable to attacks.
The Adviser said, there is an ongoing effort of the government in training and profiling state security outfits to perform optimally and professionally.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Raphael Akume Ityav said, “The explanation of the Security Adviser did not go down well with the Honorable members, who told the Adviser, Chief Joe Har to do everything possible to protect and enforce the Anti open grazing law as the Assembly has no intention whatsoever to repeal the law”.
The Assembly also gave the Advisers and Commanders of Community Volunteer and Livestock Guards matching orders to return with favourable results and verifiable poofs to the house next Tuesday or face sanctions.
