Herder jailed for open grazing in Benue

A Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi on Thursday sentenced 20-year-old herder, Aliyu Jedi, for violating the laws against open grazing in Benue.

The Magistrate, Isaac Ajim, sentenced Mr Jedi for violating the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Law of Benue state 2017 after he pleaded guilty to the charge.He, however, gave the convict, who hails from Langtang Local Government Area of Plateau, an option of fine of N500,000, being a first offender.

The Magistrate ordered his remand at the Federal Correctional Centre Makurdi, pending when he paid his fine.

Mr Ajim admonished other would-be offenders who want to engage in livestock rearing and open grazing to relocate to states were there is no law banning open grazing.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Hyacinth Gbakor, told the court that on February 12, the Commander of Livestock Guard Makurdi, Linus Zaki, and his team arrested the convict.
He said the patrol team intercepted the convict at Tse-tswem village in Makurdi while grazing his cows. (NAN)