Police IG Justifies Fulani Herdsmen Brutal Killings In Benue, Taraba; Blames Anti-grazing Laws By Govs

By Our Reporter

Should every Nigerian take laws into their own hand whenever they feel dissatisfied with a particular law enacted by the Government? This is the big question begging for an answer from the Inspector General of Police who is in a way justifying the brutal killing by Fulani herdsmen in Benue and Taraba communities by saying the controversial anti-open grazing laws responsible for the unending crisis in the two middle belt states.

Are our courts not competent to address such issues, rather than take the law to own hand?

The IG of Police, Ibrahim Idris, yesterday said before the Senate committee that the controversial anti-open grazing laws in Benue and Taraba states as the source of the crisis

The police boss told the Senate joint Committee on Police Affairs and National Intelligence that the enactment of the laws against the opposition of herdsmen was responsible for the problem in the states.

Idris appeared before the joint committee in camera following the directive of the Senate in plenary that he should be summoned to explain why he failed to comply with the mandate of the upper chamber to apprehend perpetrators of the January 1st mayhem in Benue state.

Herdsmen suspected to be Fulani swooped on two Benue communities on New Year Day and killed not less than 73 persons.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abu Ibrahim, refused to brief reporters after the closed door interface with the IGP.

Ibrahim insisted that he would only report back to the Senate as directed.

A source close to the committee, however, said that Idris was categorical that the anti-open grazing laws in Benue and Taraba should be blamed for the continuing killings in the states.

The source also said that the IGP told the committee that a number of arrests have been made.

The police boss was said to have told the committee that over 120 people have bee arrested as those behind the crisis in the states.

Asked whether the IGP wanted the laws scrapped, the source noted that Idris was not categorical on the issue of scrapping the laws in the two states.