Migratory herders: Enforce border closure to shut out foreign herders, Ortom tells FG

Outraged by the incessancy of violent attacks on Benue communities by herdsmen, Gov. Samuel Ortom, has urged the Federal Government to extend the border closure to foreign herdsmen straying into the country.

The governor said the armed herdsmen who have unfettered access into Nigerian territories from neighouring Niger, Chad and other countries have been launching bloody attacks on communities particularly in Benue.

Ortom spoke when he visited a woman in the hospital whose hand was chopped off by the herdsmen while working on her farm in Guma Council Area of the state.

Nigerians, he said, cannot continue to live in fear in their land as a result of the threats posed by the herders.

“Ranches should be established for coordination and security profiling of those keeping herds of animals,’’ the governor said and restated his call for the banning of open grazing across the country.

Ortom said a situation where the herders commit violent crimes and kill people and escape without being apprehended was a threat to national security.