Anti-grazing law: 56-yr-old herdsman commits suicide for losing 200 cows in Benue

The new anti-grazing law in Benue State is taking its toll on herdsmen as a 56-year old  herdsman, Mohammed Abdulkadire has decided to take his life by jumping into River Benue.

The incident was said to have occurred in Logo Local Government Area of the state within the week.

The deceased, according to the report decided to commit suicide when he discovered that 200 of his 500 cows died of hunger and lack of water.

Recalled that prohibition of open grazing of livestock law took effect in the state on November, 1st, 2017.

Over 3,000 herdsmen are said to have relocated out of the state since the take off of the law, while those who still remain find it difficult to get their cattle to graze openly.

Disclosing this to our correspondent at the weekend,  National  Coordinator of Miyietti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Benue State Chapter, Alhaji  Garus Gololo said herdsmen in the state had lost about 600 cows since the law took effect.

The deceased was said to have died leaving behind 22 children.

While narrating how the man died, Gololo said that the deceased having discovered the painful death of his cows where they were camped was looking for ways to move to Nasarawa State.

Gololo added that the movement to Nasarawa was stalled as result of over population of herdsmen that had relocated out of Benue “this made the man to cry uncontrollably  and later jumped into the river  in Logo.”

According to Gololo, ‘this is what we are talking  about, the man has killed himself simply because no place for him to graze his cows in Logo and he was to relocate to Awe LOcal Government Area of Nasarawa State but information got to us that the area is occupied and no herdsman or herdsmen should cross over to the area again.’

‘’We are calling on the FG to intervene to quickly make alternative provision for herdsmen in Benue State before they would  lose everything they have.”

“Our means of livelihood are gradually going down the drain. This is not what we bargain for before we voted APC into power in 2015.

“Fulani herdsmen in Benue State have 21,000 voters card and 15,000 Fulanis  overwhelmingly voted for APC but today, we are being denied of our constitutional right, rendering us useless’’, Gololo lamented.

However, when contacted, the state Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, ASP Moses Yamu said that the case has not been reported to police authority as the time of filing this report.