The Mutual Union of Tiv in America (MUTA) has rejected the Federal Government’s plan to include Benue State in the pilot phase of its National Ranching Policy, describing the proposal as a source of renewed concern for communities displaced by years of violent attacks.
The group urged the Federal Government to suspend the proposed ranching programme in Benue and prioritise the safe return, rehabilitation and protection of displaced residents before considering any allocation or designation of land for ranching.
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, had announced plans to rehabilitate grazing reserves and establish modern ranching settlements in five states, including Benue, identified as major conflict flashpoints.
The policy is intended to address the recurring clashes between farmers and herders by transitioning from open grazing to regulated ranching.
However, opposition to the proposed Benue pilot has continued to grow, with groups including the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests of the Makurdi Diocese and the Peoples Democratic Party rejecting the plan.
In a statement signed by MUTA President, Prof. Akaa Ayangeakaa, and Secretary, Prof. Joseph Zume, and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Monday, the Tiv diaspora group said the timing and circumstances surrounding the proposal made it particularly troubling for the state.
MUTA said communities across Benue had endured more than a decade of attacks, resulting in deaths, destruction of homes and farmlands, and the displacement of thousands of residents into internally displaced persons camps.
It argued that introducing a federal ranching project before resolving the displacement crisis could deepen fears that communities forced from their ancestral lands might permanently lose access to them.
“Against this painful background, the proposal to establish a federal ranching pilot in Benue State, without first resolving the displacement crisis, restoring affected communities to their lands, guaranteeing their security, and obtaining meaningful public consent, is profoundly troubling,” the statement said.
According to the group, government’s immediate responsibility should be to secure affected communities, facilitate the return of displaced residents to their ancestral homes and protect their land rights, rather than introduce a policy that could heighten existing anxieties over land ownership and dispossession.
MUTA further demanded clarification on why Benue was selected for the pilot programme, the criteria used in making the selection and the extent of consultation with affected communities and other stakeholders before the decision was reached.
It also sought details on the ownership and management structure of the proposed ranches, asking whether they would be owned by Benue communities, the state or Federal Government, private investors, livestock owners from outside the state, or through a combination of interests.
The group called on the Benue State Government, traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations, elected representatives and residents to employ lawful and democratic means to protect the rights and ancestral lands of the people.
MUTA said the Federal Government should instead concentrate on the safe return of displaced persons, rehabilitation of affected communities, compensation for victims and the provision of adequate security.
“We call on the Federal Government to suspend Benue State’s participation in the proposed pilot but should rather prioritise the safe return, rehabilitation, compensation, and protection of displaced communities,” the group said.
