Fulani Herdsmen reject FG’s grazing ranches

Fulani Herdsmen have rejected FG’s grazing ranches

The herdsmen wants creation of graz­ing routes that will ena­ble them to operate in any part of Nigeria

Some Fulani herdsmen who have continued to attack and killing scores of Nigerians have opposed the federal government’s plan to create grazing ranches in some parts of the country.

Instead, the herdsmen wants creation of graz­ing routes that will ena­ble them to operate in any part of Nigeria but this was objected by farmers from Southern and Central regions who said herdsmen cannot continue to use grazing routes, asserting that the prac­tice is the cause of the constant clashes between them and the Fulani cattle rearers.

According to Authority newspaper, this was made known by Fulani herdsmen during the  public hearing organ­ised by Senate joint commit­tee on agricultural resourc­es and national security.

Speaking at the session, the minister of state for agricul­tural resources and rural de­velopment, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri said the ministry had concluded plans to estab­lish grazing ranches in parts of the country.

He explained that the im­port of the planned ranches was not only to avert frequent con­flicts between the herdsmen and farmers but to key into modern system of cattle rear­ing as obtained in advanced countries.

Lokpobiri said that no few­er than nine states have given 5.000 hectares of land each to the Federal Government for the establishment of such ranches.

Also at the public session was the Chief of defence staff, Lt-Gen. Gabriel Abayomi Olo­nishakin, who was represented by Maj- Gen. Edward Nze. He said the CDS has acted on the direc­tive of President Muhammadu Buhari by deploying troops to track down those who kill and terrorise farmers in the country.

Front line human right lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has lambasted the inspector general of police, Solomon Arase, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai over the reoccurring killings by Fulani herdsmen across Nigeria