The Benue State House of Assembly has urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to fully implement the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017 as part of urgent measures to halt the persistent killings by armed herdsmen across the state.
The lawmakers made the call on Tuesday during an emergency plenary session where they strongly condemned the latest wave of attacks in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, describing the violence as terrorism, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.
The House expressed outrage over the scale of the carnage, citing the use of sophisticated weapons and explosives by the attackers, which led to the deaths of scores of residents and the destruction of homes.
Raising the issue under urgent public importance, Hon. Uche Terwase Peter, who represents Guma 1 State Constituency, decried the massacre in his constituency, where entire families—some as large as ten members—were wiped out in the coordinated onslaught.
In honour of the victims, the Assembly called on the state government to declare a three-day mourning period from Wednesday, June 18 to Friday, June 20, 2025. Lawmakers also criticized what they saw as the failure of security agencies to act swiftly despite early warning signs, and called on the governor to take firm action to enforce the anti-open grazing law.
The Assembly further encouraged residents to remain vigilant and defend themselves within the limits of the law.
Meanwhile, in the same sitting, the Assembly passed the Local Government Bill 2024 through second reading. The bill, sponsored by Hon. Terna Shimawua (Kyan State Constituency), seeks to strengthen the administration and effectiveness of local governments in delivering development at the grassroots.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, referred the bill to the Committee on Local Government, Security and Chieftaincy Affairs for further legislative action.
In a separate but related development, Speaker Dajoh also ordered the immediate release of all youths arrested during recent protests against insecurity in parts of the state. The directive was issued in response to growing public condemnation of the detentions.
“Peaceful protest is a constitutional right,” Dajoh stated on the floor of the Assembly. “No one should be punished for exercising their voice in a democratic society.”
The Speaker’s pronouncement was met with applause from fellow lawmakers and commended by civil rights advocates as a vital step in defending civil liberties.
He also charged security agencies to respect the rights of demonstrators and ensure professionalism in future engagements with citizens. The Assembly vowed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrests and work with authorities to prevent similar incidents.
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