Benue suspends operation of livestock guards

The Benue State Security Council on Tuesday suspended the operation of Livestock Guards for the next two weeks

Governor Samuel Ortom read out the resolution shortly after the expanded State Security Council meeting attended by all relevant stakeholders including traditional rulers and 23 local government council chairmen.

Ortom said the decision to stand down the operation of the state’s livestock guards for the period of two weeks was to enable pastoralists who flooded the state with their cows and graze openly in the wake of crisis to exit peacefully.

The council condemned what it described as an unholy alliance of some youths in Benue State with armed herders to rustle cows and also conniving to slaughter the animals.

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It urged security operatives to go after any traditional ruler or stakeholders found wanting in such matters.

The governor advised politicians in the state to be guided and be mindful of making inflammatory statements that will encourage lawlessness, maintaining that he still remained governor of the state until May 29.

Ortom also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving a fresh directive for the killers of Benue people to be apprehended and brought to justice even as he hailed all security agencies as well as the state’s own outfits for living up to expectations.