FG won’t go to any state that is not interested in grazing reserves—Minister
The Federal Government has revisited the hanging issue of establishing grazing reserves across the country but now with a caveat that “We are not going to any state that is not interested and we are not going to collect anybody’s land.”
This was the revelation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, weekend when he received in audience, 64 participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 12 and faculty members of the Institute for Security Studies, lower Usma Dam, Bwari, Abuja, at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The minister while declaring that the Federal Government would soon embark on the re-creation of grazing reserves across the country said the recreation of grazing reserves became necessary because of the recurring farmers and herders conflict.
Recall that available statistics since the incoming of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, showed that herdsmen-farmers related killings and displacements had exceeded those of Boko Haram within the period under review.
In some cases especially in parts of Benue, Nasarawa and most of middle belts, more farmers had been killed and their farmlands annexed up till today as the original landowners’ who are predominantly farmers had fled for their lives leaving their ancestral lands for migrant Fulani herdsmen.
The Minister however, called on individuals who had interest and ability to build grazing reserve to come forward with their proposals and documents to show ownership of uncontestable land mass so as to access seamless government’s support in the investment.
In their response, leader of the delegation and Director of the Institute, Alhaji A. S. Adeleke, represented by the Deputy Director, Studies, Dr A. M. Wali, said the course participants were drawn from 21 agencies in Nigeria and five other countries, including the Benin Republic, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone.
He said the participants were senior officers from the military intelligence, security, paramilitary, law enforcement, regulatory and other Federal Government strategic agencies.
According to Adeleke, the theme of this year’s course was ‘Transhuman and International Migration: Challenges on Governance, Peace and Sustainable Development in sub-Saharan Africa.’
