Benue government bans public events beyond 10pm

• The same restriction applies to undeveloped areas of government offices or quarters, reserved areas, and organizing rallies beyond 10 pm
  

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The Benue State government has declared it an offense for families to hold wakes beyond 10 pm.

Additionally, farming on empty, unfenced plots of land in front of premises, on streets, or by the roadside within urban areas is prohibited.

The same restriction applies to undeveloped areas of government offices or quarters, reserved areas, and organizing rallies beyond 10 pm.

Governor Hyacinth Alia signed an executive order to establish the Department of Public Order within the Ministry of Justice, tasked with coordinating policies and matters related to public order. This move aims to curb criminality and political violence, including kidnappings, murders, and intimidation, which have led to the rise of local warlords and militia groups.

During the signing ceremony at the Government House in Makurdi, Alia, represented by his deputy Sam Odeh, stated that the order is pursuant to Section 14, subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 10 of the Public Order Act, CAP 382 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The governor emphasized the prohibition of all acts violating public order and called for strict adherence to these laws.

The proscribed public acts include ‘”disobedience to traffic rules, child labour and exploitation, all forms of prostitution, indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road dividers, open defecation and urination, demanding of marching ground levy from developers, building on water channels or structures, kiosks, shanties on the right of way, hawking or selling of goods of any kind by the roadside or on the road.

“Also prohibited is farming on empty unfenced plots of land or in front of any premises or on the street, or by the roadside within urban areas. Farming on undeveloped areas of government offices or quarters or reserved areas.

“From the commencement of the order, rallies, wakes and other forms of public gatherings should not be held beyond the hours of 10 pm in the state.”

The governor warned that any breach of the prescribed public rules would amount to a sanction between N20,000 and N500,000 fine or imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the offence.

“But any person or group wishing to hold a gathering beyond 10 pm are advised to first, seek and obtain a permit from the Department of Public Order at the Ministry of Justice,” he added.

The governor also announced the establishment of a Public Order Advisory Committee with the mandate to advise government on policies, restoration, attainment, preservation and maintenance of public order and safety in the state.

Also, a Public Order Committee was established to operate in all the local government areas by collaborating with the advisory committee and other stakeholders to enforce the prescribed public order laws.