Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has said the state’s anti-open grazing law is being rendered ineffective by a stark security imbalance herders’ militias wielding AK-47s, while state-enforced guards are limited to basic Dane guns.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, Alia said the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards lack the firepower to confront armed herdsmen and their militias, who routinely breach the 2017 law with impunity.
“The governor has been open about the challenges,” Tersoo stated. “These guards are not allowed to carry sophisticated weapons. Meanwhile, armed herders flaunt AK-47s and AK-49s as they graze cattle across the state.”
Alia noted that even mobile police (MOPOL) officers, who are better trained and equipped, have fallen victim to the militias, underscoring the dangers faced by under-equipped state guards.
“If mobile police officers can’t stop them, how do you expect volunteers with Dane guns to do so?” he asked.
The governor stressed that the anti-grazing law can only succeed if adopted at the national level and enforced by federal security agencies.
Citing another challenge, he pointed out that herders often flee to neighbouring Nasarawa State — where the law doesn’t exist — making cross-border enforcement impossible.
The governor’s comments were in response to criticisms from the Benue Advocacy Network, which questioned rising insecurity and continued attacks by armed herders despite the existence of the anti-grazing law.
In a statement signed by its president, Enoch Ortese, the group demanded answers on governance, transparency, and the worsening humanitarian crisis in the state. They decried the surge in internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the governor’s failure to fulfil his 100-day campaign promise to return them to their ancestral homes.
“Instead of resettling IDPs, the government is building more tents and camps,” the group said, demanding a clear and actionable plan for permanent resettlement.
The group also accused the administration of lack of transparency in security spending and failure to deliver any completed project in the past two years, despite receiving significant monthly security votes.
They called for the publication of financial statements, contract details, and the reason for the delay in granting autonomy to local government areas.
In defence, Alia highlighted his efforts to clean up the fiscal mess left by his predecessor, noting that he had cleared six out of seven months of salary arrears inherited by his administration.
