Benue Assembly amends open grazing law

Benue State House of Assembly has amended the law prohibiting open grazing to provide for stiffer penalties for violators.
The development was sequel to a report of the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
While leading the debate on the report Chairman of the Committee and lawmaker representing Makurdi South constituency, Terwase Aondoakaa, revealed that the amended law would provide for N500,000 fine for any first offender caught moving livestock by foot in any part of the state.
Aondoakaa noted that a second time offender would be fined N1million with appropriate prison term.
The law has now included a 14-year jail term with an option of N5million fine for anyone found guilty of encouraging under aged children to graze cattle openly in any part of the State.