Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has resolved to take practical steps towards confronting attackers that, he believes, are aggrieved herdsmen.
Ortom is the first governor to ban open grazing and this has generated a lot of struggle.
The state has been a centre of several killings, which has brought him and President Muhammadu Buhari in conflict as he has accused Abuja of overlooking the problems.
Buhari has however denied this.
But speaking in Makurdi the state capital on Saturday, Ortom said it was now time for action to protect the people of the state.
He said this propelled the activation of vigilante groups across the state, saying they should be allowed to carry arms to protect their communities.
Ortom said, “A few weeks ago, Benue stakeholders met and gave this administration the mandate to activate and implement the Community Volunteer Guards Law enacted in 2000.
“We have already commenced the process of recruiting responsible people of 50 years and below into the Volunteer Guards. Their duty is to support the conventional security agencies in defending their communities. We have cried enough. We will cry no more. Now is time for action.
, “Let me remind those who think that sustained attacks on the Benue people will force us to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law that they are making a mistake.
“This law has come to stay and no amount of intimidation can make us repeal it. Instead, we will soon amend the law in order to increase the penalties against offenders.”
