Former Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has made a startling revelation, disclosing that he turned down a ₦75 billion loan offer during his time in office because the funds were conditioned on repealing the state’s Anti-Open Grazing Law.
Speaking during a media chat in Makurdi on Wednesday, Ortom opened up about the intense financial and political pressure he faced while leading the state, including attempts to coerce him into reversing a key legislative measure meant to protect the people of Benue from deadly herdsmen attacks.
“I was offered a ₦40 billion interest-free loan to pay salary arrears, which was a major problem during my tenure, and a ₦35 billion infrastructure loan for development—on one condition: that I should repeal the Anti-Open Grazing Law. But I rejected it,” the former governor stated.
The Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, enacted in 2017 under Ortom’s administration, was the first of its kind in Nigeria and aimed at curbing the violence and destruction associated with open grazing by armed herders. The law mandates ranching as the only legal method of livestock management in the state.
Ortom emphasized that the law was non-negotiable, describing it as a life-saving policy for communities across Benue State that had long suffered from incessant attacks and displacement caused by open grazing.
“The law was not just a policy; it was a shield for our people. No amount of money could make me betray the lives and safety of Benue citizens,” Ortom declared. “I made it clear then—and I stand by it now—that the lives of our people are worth more than any financial inducement.”
During his tenure, Ortom faced widespread criticism over salary backlogs and underfunded infrastructure, issues that the proposed loans could have helped resolve. However, his refusal to compromise on the grazing law won him both praise and opposition, especially from national figures who saw the legislation as controversial.
Since leaving office in 2023, Ortom has remained vocal on security issues in the North-Central region and continues to defend his administration’s decisions. The former governor said he has no regrets about rejecting the funds, asserting that the protection of human life must always take precedence over economic convenience.
His revelation has sparked renewed debate around the politicization of federal and international funding, especially when tied to policy reversals that may threaten local interests or security.
Reactions have poured in from various quarters, with civil society groups and farmers’ associations hailing Ortom’s decision as courageous and principled, while others argue that the opportunity to ease the state’s financial burden was missed.
As the national conversation on open grazing, land use, and farmer-herder conflicts continues, Ortom’s latest disclosure adds a new dimension to the ongoing struggle between security priorities and economic survival in Nigeria’s troubled agrarian states
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