Fresh controversy has trailed the Federal Government’s decision to include Benue State among states selected for the pilot phase of its proposed ranching programme. The initiative, aimed at modernising livestock production and addressing the long-running farmers-herders crisis, has drawn strong concerns from political leaders, socio-cultural organisations, religious groups and other stakeholders in the state.
At the heart of the debate is the question of why Benue—a state that has endured years of violent attacks, mass displacement of farming communities and conflicts linked to open grazing—should be chosen for the pilot project. The three major socio-cultural organisations in the state—Mdzough U Tiv, Ochetoha k’Idoma and Omi Ny’Igede—have expressed clear reservations. They insist that security and the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes must take priority over any new land allocation for ranching.
Speaking on behalf of the groups, Air Commodore Titus Agbecha (retd.), Chairman of the Benue Socio-Cultural Organisations, said the bodies are not opposed to ranching as a modern system of animal husbandry. However, they maintain that any such programme in Benue must be voluntary, community-driven and implemented in a way that does not threaten agricultural production or dispossess communities of their ancestral lands. The groups are demanding extensive consultation and dialogue with affected communities before any land is committed to the project.
They argued that with thousands of displaced persons still unable to return to their communities, allocating land for ranching without first addressing displacement and insecurity could deepen suspicion among residents. “Benue is the food basket of the nation. For Nigeria to be food secure, Benue farmers must first be secure on their land,” Agbecha stated.
The controversy has also taken on a political colouration. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue has called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to clarify his administration’s position on the Federal Government’s proposal. Governor Alia has urged caution amid the growing concerns, while his administration has indicated that engagement with communities whose lands may be considered for the programme is necessary.
Other groups have rejected the proposal outright. The Benue State Law Students Association of Nigeria (BENLAWSAN) argued that locating pilot ranches in Middle Belt states already facing pressure on agricultural land could worsen competition over land and heighten existing tensions.
For many of those raising objections, the issue is not opposition to ranching itself. Rather, it centres on where the ranches will be located, how the land will be acquired, who will own and operate them, and what guarantees will be provided to host communities. Stakeholders are also demanding answers on the fate of displaced farmers whose ancestral communities remain deserted or inaccessible because of insecurity.
As debate over the proposed pilot project continues, pressure is mounting on both the Federal Government and the Benue State Government to provide further details on the programme and to engage communities and stakeholders meaningfully before any implementation moves forward. The development has reopened the long-running debate over ranching, land ownership, open grazing and the protection of farming communities in Benue State.
