Benue Assembly passes bill for new security outfit today
The Benue State House of Assembly will today (Monday) pass an Executive Bill named ‘Benue State Civil Protection Guards (Establishment) Law 2024’.
The Majority Leader of the House, Sateer Teeser, disclosed this in an interview on Sunday.
However, some civil society actors have raised concern about the bill, contending that it would repeal the anti-open grazing law passed by the previous administration of Samuel Ortom to check the menace of killer herdsmen.
The Assembly had last Thursday held public hearings on the bill in Katsina-Ala for stakeholders in Zone A; Gboko, for stakeholders in Zone B and Otukpo, for stakeholders in Zone C.
A group known as ‘Defenders of Democracy’ on Saturday expressed reservation about the bill, saying it would aid killer herdsmen.
The President of the Defender of Democracy, Amos Uchir, in a statement, said, “All patriotic sons and daughters of the state must rise up and resist the repeal of the ban on open grazing! Governor Alia should rather be told to uphold and fully enforce that law!
“This land Benue State does not belong to Fulanis and any attempt to take our lands and give to them (Fulani) is unacceptable and must be rejected.”
But the Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Fidelis Mnyim, told our correspondent on Sunday that the executive bill was not meant to repeal the anti-open grazing law.
He added that the Livestock Guards and Benue State Community Volunteer Guards would be merged with the Civil Protection Guard.
He said the disputed Section 12 of the bill had been redrafted to read: “By the coming into effect of this law, the Community Volunteer Guards and the Livestock Guards are hereby merged to operate as Civil Protection Guards as provided under this law.”
Also, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Sateer Teeser, said, “We are passing the bill on Monday (today). When we pass it, people will see whether there is a repeal of the anti-open grazing law.
“We don’t want to take issue with anyone. We have fulfilled our oversight. The bill is from the executive, we have presented the bill to the public, we have collected their views and the House will pass the bill on Monday.”
