By Ayo Kehinde
Gov Ortom
The Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom and leaders of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum, SMBLF, have urged the Federal Government to disclose publicly, the gazette on lands in 36 states it had conducted prior to planting the ruga settlement for Fulani herdsmen in the country, as claimed in by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu in a statement he issued yesterday.
According to the SMBLF in a statement it issued on Monday and signed by Mr Yinka Odumakin for the Southwest, Professor Chigozie Ogbu for the Southeast, Senator Bassey Henshaw for the Southsouth and Isuwa Dogo for the Middle Belt, the governmet should clear up two areas in the statement by Shehu.
“We are interested in having the gazette number and its content as we konw per the Constitution and the laws of the country that all lands in each state of the federation is vested in the governor.In what capacity and with which authority did the federal government gazette all lands in all states of Nigeria.”, they asked, adding, secondly, “The statement also said 12 governors have applied to the FG to give land in their states for the take-off of this conquest agenda. We want to know the identities of those governors from the presidency as well…”
Governor Ortom in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase said that there has never been any land for grazing reserve nor grazing route in the state.
Akase said “We expect the Federal Government to publicly tender documents of the claimed gazetted lands in Benue State to put the matter to rest.
“The Federal Government should show titles to the lands it claims to have in Benue State, the evidence of compensation it paid to owners of such lands, as well as the purpose for which the lands were acquired.
“We wish to make it clear that no land in Benue State has been gazetted for grazing routes, grazing reserves, cattle colonies and Ruga settlements, contrary to the Presidency’s claim.
“The Benue State Government has already made known its stand on the Ruga settlements matter that the state will not be part of the project.
“This was why the government and people of the state rejected the attempt to impose the Ruga settlements projects on them without the consent and approval of the Governor who controls and administers all lands in the state in trust for the people.”
“The law is a win-win for herders and farmers, as it protects all. Anyone who intends to establish a livestock ranch in Benue State is encouraged to follow the procedure stipulated by the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017,”
