Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the Chairman of the Open Grazing Prohibition Enforcement Committee and Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, made the statement at a briefing.
In the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, the Nigerian Army has verified the deaths of 30 opposing milita groups, but it has disputed that the killings were caused by herders.
Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the Chairman of the Open Grazing Prohibition Enforcement Committee and Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, provided the clarification during a briefing on Wednesday as the state started enforcing the open grazing ban after its two-week ultimatum expired.
Although he acknowledged the deaths in Ukum, he added that the military’s efforts to rid the Kwande Local Government Area of terrorists were crucial in restoring peace to the area. In just two weeks, over 27 people were reported to have died there.
Farmers have faced intense attacks in a number of local government regions, including Ukum, Kwande, Apa-Agatu, and Otukpo. In the last two weeks, numerous farmers—including soldiers—have been killed in these attacks.
However, the government of Benue State and the security services have determined that anyone using an armament to herd cattle or graze their cattle in the open must immediately cease or face punishment.
This was the stance of the Operation Whirl Stroke Commander’s enforcement committee about the ban on open grazing.
Additionally, Benue State’s Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, issued a warning that the herdsmen’s grace period had ended concurrently with Fidelis Mnyim, the state’s Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, issuing new guidelines regarding the legal position on the topic.
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