The Benue State Government, on Thursday, handed over 210 cattle earlier impounded for flouting the anti-open grazing law to their owners. The cows were returned to their owners after various fines were paid.
The cattle were impounded in Mballagh and Gbanjimba communities, Guma Local Government Area of the state on February 11 and 16, 2021.
The state Commander, Benue Livestock Guards, Linus Zaki, who handed over the cattle to their owners in Makurdi, said the cattle were impounded for flouting the anti-open grazing law.
He said, “We arrested 140 cows in Mballagh on February 11, 2021 and 70 cows in Gbajimba on February 16, 2021. All together, we are handing over 210 cows to their owners today.”
Zaki warned herdsmen not to flout the state’s anti-open grazing law, saying the state would not take it lightly with lawbreakers.
“We cannot stop implementing the law so the herdsmen must learn to follow the right procedure,” Zaki added.
On their parts, the two owners of the cattle, Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna and Alhaji Haro Audu, said their animals were released to them after they fulfilled the procedures for retrieving them.