Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has rejected any attempt to allocate land in the state for ranching without the approval of his administration and the consent of the people.

Alia made the position clear on Monday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders from the Sankera bloc, which covers Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas.

The governor’s statement comes less than two weeks after the Federal Government named Benue among the locations selected for the pilot implementation of its National Ranching Policy.

The policy, announced by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, is aimed at promoting modern livestock production and reducing the movement of large herds of cattle across communities.

Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Adamawa states, alongside the Federal Capital Territory, were identified for the initiative.

The Federal Government said the selected areas were chosen because of their history of farmer-herder conflicts. The pilot programme is expected to begin at the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State.

But the announcement has triggered strong reactions in Benue.

Governor Alia has now made it clear that his administration will not permit the compulsory use of Benue land for pastoral activities.

“Nobody will force us to cede even an inch of our land to the pastoralist for any purpose. If that must happen, I can assure you, it will not be this time that I am still the governor of Benue State,” Alia said.

His comment places the state government firmly against any arrangement that would involve taking over land without local approval.

The Sankera axis, in particular, has remained one of the areas facing serious security challenges.

Communities in Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo have suffered attacks, killings and kidnappings over the years.

Many residents have also been forced to leave their homes and farms because of insecurity.

It was against this background that Alia announced fresh measures to improve security in the area.

The governor said three military operational units would be established at strategic locations across Sankera.

One of the units will be located in Agu, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. Another will be stationed in Anyiin, Logo, while the third will be based in Azendeshi, Ukum.

Alia also announced that 30 motorcycles would be provided to security agencies operating in the area.

According to him, the motorcycles are expected to improve movement, patrols and the ability of security personnel to respond quickly when emergencies occur.

Alia said his administration would continue to take steps aimed at protecting residents and restoring confidence in communities affected by insecurity.

The governor also spoke about infrastructure during the meeting.

He announced plans for the construction of a new dam with a projected capacity of 460 megawatts.

The project, according to him, is expected to provide water and support electricity generation in the state.

The town hall meetings are being held across Benue’s 11 federal constituencies.

Benue Groups Had Earlier Rejected Ranching Plan

In a related development, Mzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’Idoma and Omi Ny’Igede had earlier rejected the Federal Government’s proposed ranching programme in the state.

The three groups represent the Tiv, Idoma and Igede communities respectively.

At a press conference in Makurdi earlier this month, the organisations said they were not against modern ranching as an agricultural and commercial activity.

However, they opposed any plan that would impose ranches on communities without their consent.

They also called for the safe return of internally displaced persons before any major allocation of land for ranching is considered.

The groups argued that thousands of Benue residents displaced by violence are still unable to return to their ancestral communities.

They maintained that securing the affected areas and restoring displaced farmers should come before committing large portions of land to a new livestock programme.

The organisations also stressed the importance of protecting farmland and food production in the state.

Benue already has its Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017, which prohibits open grazing and provides a legal framework for ranch establishment in the state.

The state government has repeatedly maintained that livestock production can be developed through ranching, but that such development must follow existing laws and respect the rights of communities.