By Ayo Kehinde
Youths in Benue state have poured into the streets in Makurdi on Thursday in protest against the move by the Federal Government to set up farm settlements called Ruga for Fulani herdsmen.
They called on the Federal Government to rescind the decision as they march in frenzy on the streets carrying placards and banners screaming with their message: “No Land for Ruga in Benue’; “Ortom Defend Us Against Ruga Settlements”, “Benue Youth Say No To Fulani Occupation Called Ruga”
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Umar who unveiled the plan yesterday in Abuja, said the Federal Government within the next five years plans to establish the Ruga settlements in states across the country.
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture started promoting the idea in April in Owerri, Imo state during National Council on Agriculture summit. But the states in attendance, led by Benue rejected it.
The Southeast states, Benue and Taraba have already rejected the proposal citing constitutional and legal infringements of their rights over land by the Federal Government.
In rejecting the Ruga policy of the FG, Benue said it contravened its law on ranching and rubs on the sensitivity of the people of the state. Benue had been a theatre of war between herders and farmers leading to the murder and mass burial of hundreds, recently.
In a Tuesday statement signed by Terver Akase, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom, the state expressed shock that at the sudden appearance of Federal Ministry officials in the state in their bid to start the implementation of the Riga settlement policy
According to Akase, “A few weeks ago, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture with his team in Benue State informed officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture that he had received directives from the Ministry’s headquarters Abuja to establish Ruga which means ‘Fulani settlement’ in parts of the State.
“The Director stated that the local government areas selected for the Ruga settlements were Otukpo, Tarka and Ukum.
The Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Agriculture drew the attention of the Director and his team to the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 being implemented in the state. When they were also reminded about the Land Use Act, which confers on the Governor the powers to administer lands in all parts of the State, officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture left with a promise to relay the message to their headquarters. They surprisingly returned a few days later with contractors to commence work on the Ruga settlements.
“We find the approach of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture not only as a gross violation of the Ranching law but also as an insult to the sensibilities of the entire people of Benue State.
“It could be recalled that the people and government of Benue State rejected cattle colonies and still reject the policy in whichever robes it is disguised.
“Governor Samuel Ortom made the stand of Benue State known during the unveiling of the Livestock Development Programme in Abuja last year. He stressed that the State would embrace the policy only if it supports implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.
“The Governor also insisted that Benue State has no land for open grazing of cattle and he restated ranching as a lasting solution to the incessant herders and farmers crisis, which the country ought to embrace.
“Governor Ortom made similar presentations at different fora to buttress why open grazing of livestock is not feasible in a densely populated country with over 200 million people.
“It could also be recalled that the National Economic Council, NEC, had also unanimously adopted ranching as the best method of livestock breeding for the country. It is therefore shocking to see the Federal Government turning round to establish Fulani herdsmen settlements in some states including Benue, contrary to the position of NEC.
“We wish to remind those pushing for Ruga settlements that the Constitution of the country gives states the right to make laws for the governance of their people. Any attempt to subvert such right is a direct attack on the Constitution. Those behind such a move are enemies of peace and progress.
“The Government of Benue State is willing to support cattle owners to establish ranches as stipulated by the law prohibiting open grazing.
“We however wish to reiterate that Benue State has no land for grazing reserves, grazing routes, cattle colonies or ruga settlements. The State only has land for the establishment of ranches.
For Edo and Delta State, the pan-Edo/Delta group, the Midwest Movement described it as “brazen “21st century Colonization”
The members and management of the group in a statement called “ on the Federal Government to immediately rescind its planned veiled colonization of our peoples, while enjoining the Governments of our home-states of Edo and Delta reject same in clear and unequivocal terms.
The group said while it was unopposed to the desire of the Federal Government to settle nomadic herdsmen (and any other such groups whatsoever), “these should be done in areas and land that are native to such groups. The planned aggregation in whatever guise, of the lands of the 12 ethnic nationalities of the Midwest Region of Nigeria, without recourse to consultations with the traditional and bonafide owners, is akin to an invasion.”
“As peace-loving people, and firm believers in a One Nigeria where peace, justice and equity reigns, the Midwest/Bendel peoples of Delta and Edo States firmly advice the Federal Government against the perpetuation of any policy that may impact negatively on the seeming already strained unity of the Nigerian federation.
Disclosing that the creation of Midwest Region as 4th Region of Nigeria, after the July 13, 1963 Plebiscite/Referendum makes it the only Region/State in Nigeria created by due constitutional process, it stated that it was still possible for the country to go about re-Federalization/Restructuring of the Nigerian Nation-State based on informed understanding of best practices, and employing the fiscal allocation provisions of the pre-1966 Constitutions as useful templates. “
