The governor of Benue State stated that the state’s anti-grazing law is still in effect and will be put into effect after a two-week grace period to allow herders to leave the state.
The Middle Belt Forum and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State have urged for delaying the 2023 census until Internally Displaced People (IPDs) in the North Central geopolitical zone are relocated.
When the Middle Belt Forum’s leadership visited the state to express their condolences over the murder of more than 134 people in one week, Ortom made this call.
The Mgbam village in the Guma Local Government Area was the scene of the attacks. Herdsmen are accused of carrying out the attacks in the state’s Apa, Otukpo, and Guma regions.
The governor was comforted by the Middle Belt Forum’s leadership, who also took the opportunity to urge the National Population Commission to postpone the census’s start date from May 3, 2023.
Ortom claims that during the past six years, several lives have been lost as a result of these attacks on benue communities. He added that the state’s anti-grazing law is still in effect and will be put into effect after a two-week grace period to allow herdsmen to leave the state.
