Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, says the state’s Open-Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law is still in full force in the state.

Alia made this known on Monday during an interface with leaders of various unions in the state, at the old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.

According to him,  the essence of the interface was to intimate the unions on the happenings both in the state and at the national level and to appreciate them for their support to his administration.

The Governor charged the unions to always ensure peaceful and friendly coexistence amongst them, urging them to be cordial in their dealings and resolutions without always involving the courts.

Gov Alia said the recent influx of herders and their cattle in the state was because some persons had written to the herders in neighbouring countries such as Niger Republic, to come and settle back in Benue, as according to them, the anti-open-grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law has been relaxed.

In his words,  "I feel quite sad however, as the security report has it on good authority that there are certain people who are responsible for the influx of herders in the state.

“They even went out of their way, to go all the way to the Nigerien border to invite the herders to come in; that the law they had in Benue before is then, and so nothing is going to happen,” he said.

The governor, however, assured the people of the state that the law is in force, and has not been relaxed by anyone.