We hereby express the heartfelt sympathy of the members of the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) with the Government and people of Benue and Plateau State for the loss of lives in the genocidal attacks unleashed on unarmed citizens by terrorists, bandits and gunmen. It is unbelievable that the nation's security forces have failed to defeat the ill-equipped gunmen terrorising unarmed people in Benue and Plateau states.

Under the former Buhari administration, the Northern Governors Forum and Southern Governors Forum collectively resolved to ban open grazing in the country. In accepting the resolution, the federal government adopted ranching as a solution to the violent clashes between herders and farmers. The federal government gave N6.2 billion to the Katsina State Government for ranching. Our call on other state governments then to demand for the same amount and for the same purpose fell on deaf ears.

However, instead of further relying on the nation’s security forces, the Benue and Plateau State Governments followed the example of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu SAN of blessed memory by settling up State Security Agencies. The allegation that the security outfits are not well funded should be addressed by the Benue and Plateau State governments. As a matter of urgency, the operatives of both security agencies should be well trained and well motivated to rout out the merchants of death operating in both states.

Furthermore, we have confirmed that between January and December 2024, the combined teams of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Armed Forces arrested over 1,000 suspects for their involvement in banditry, kidnapping, killing and other violent crimes committed in Benue and Plateau State. In addition, not less than 100 dangerous criminal suspects have been nabbed by the security forces between January and March 2025.

We are, however, disturbed to note that most of the arrested suspects were briefly detained and released either conditionally or unconditionally. Hence, the killing and abduction of innocent persons have continued unabated. It is high time that open grazing was banned by the Governments of Benue and Plateau States.

We call on the Attorneys-General of Benue and Plateau states to charge all suspected killers before the appropriate courts for the contravention of the various provisions of the Penal Codes applicable in both states.

Without any further delay, the federal government should establish ranches in Benue, Plateau, and other states and ban the movement of cattle in the Federal Capital Territory and all states of the Federation.

Femi Falana SAN,
The Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB)