We have no hand in cattle rustling ―Livestock guards boss

STATE Commander, Benue State Livestock Guards, Alhaji Aliyu Tershaku has debunked the claim by the military that member of its guard was arrested with a gun.

Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 707 Special Forces Brigade, Major Olabisi Ayeni had alleged that a member of the Benue State Livestock Guards has been arrested in Ukum Local Government Area by ‘Exercise Cat Race’ for cattle rustling and gun running.

According to the state Commander of livestock guard, Tershaku said that the Benue State Government established the Livestock Guards does not arm them.

” The arrested suspect is not a member of the State Livestock Guards.”

He said that Livestock Guards of the state do not carry weapons and their role is to help conventional security agencies in the implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.

Tershaku described the statement credited to Major Ayeni as a fabrication and deliberate attempt to find a reason to blame the Benue State Government for sponsoring militia.

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“We also wish to make it clear that members of the Benue State Livestock Guards do not engage in any form of cattle rustling. Instead, the Livestock Guards, since the establishment of the organisation, have contributed greatly in preventing cases of cattle rustling in different parts of the state according to section 20 of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State.”

He urged the public to disregard the allegation in its entirety as it is part of the conspiracy to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.