Court restrains IGP from proscribing Benue livestock guards

A Makurdi High Court, presided over by Justice Austine Ityonyiman, yesterday issued an interim order restraining the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Benue State Commissioner of Police (CP) from prohibiting or shutting down offices of the Benue State Livestock Guards in any part of the state.

The court also restrained the IGP and the Benue State CP from preventing officers of the Benue State Livestock Guards from carrying out their legitimate functions of implementing the state Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law pending the determination of the motion on notice brought before the court.

The judge granted the motion brought by the Benue State Government through Mr. Douglas Pepe, praying the court to restrain the police, who he said were acting outside the scope of their constitutional mandate.Pepe had said that the state’s Livestock Guard was a creation of the law and the body was carrying out its functions as stipulated by the legislation establishing it.

Justice Ityonyiman, after listening to the argument of counsel to the Benue State Government, and carefully perusing through the affidavit in support of the motion, said there was need to grant the application pending the determination of the motion on notice.He, thereafter, adjourned the case to November 23, 2018 for hearing of the motion.