Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Tiv people of Benue State in the diaspora, under the aegis of the Mutual Union of Tiv in America (MUTA), have joined a growing chorus of opposition against the Federal Government's National Ranching Policy, rejecting the inclusion of Benue State in the pilot phase of the programme and demanding that the safe return of internally displaced persons and the restoration of their ancestral lands must precede any discussion of land allocation for ranching. The union, in a statement signed by its President, Professor Akaa Daniel Ayangeakaa, and Secretary, Professor Joseph Zume, described the proposal as "profoundly troubling" and insisted that the government's first responsibility must be to secure the people and restore displaced citizens to their ancestral communities, rather than introduce a policy that could deepen existing fears of dispossession.
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, had earlier disclosed plans to implement the National Ranching Policy by rehabilitating grazing reserves and establishing modern ranching settlements in five states, including Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory, which have been identified as major conflict flashpoints nationwide. The minister had said the programme would involve the establishment of grazing reserves equipped with housing, veterinary clinics, schools, primary healthcare centres, solar lighting and water infrastructure for herders and their livestock. However, the announcement has been met with fierce resistance from various groups in Benue, who see the policy as an attempt to resurrect the controversial RUGA settlement scheme that was rejected by the state and its people years ago.
MUTA's rejection of the policy is rooted in the painful reality of more than a decade of violence that has devastated Benue communities. The union lamented that for over ten years, communities across Benue have endured devastating attacks, loss of lives, destruction of homes and farms, and mass displacement associated with violent herdsmen attacks. Large numbers of Tiv people remain uprooted from their ancestral communities and continue to live under extremely difficult conditions in Internally Displaced Persons camps. Against this painful background, the union argued, 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 not only insensitive but also deeply troubling.
The union's statement posed a pointed question to the Federal Government: "Why Benue?" It noted that Benue is overwhelmingly agrarian and nationally recognised as the Food Basket of the Nation. Crop farming has historically been central to the economy, identity, and livelihood of its people. Land in Benue, the union stressed, is not an idle resource waiting to be allocated. It is the foundation of the people's livelihood, heritage, security, and future. The union expressed deep concern that many communities affected by violence have not yet been able to return safely to their ancestral lands, and that any proposal involving the allocation, designation, acquisition, or conversion of land for ranching under these circumstances naturally creates a legitimate fear that displaced communities could permanently lose access to lands from which they were forced out by violence.
MUTA demanded clear answers from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government on several critical issues. They demanded to know why Benue State was selected for the pilot ranching programme, what objective criteria were used, and what consultations were conducted with affected communities before that decision was made. They also demanded clarification on who would own and operate the proposed ranches, whether they would belong to Benue communities, the government, private investors, livestock owners from outside the state, or some combination thereof. They further demanded to know where the land for the ranches would come from and whether lands belonging to displaced communities would be incorporated into the programme. The union insisted that displaced Benue residents must be given guarantees that they would regain full possession of their ancestral lands before any ranching project was considered.
The union's position was unequivocal: there is no "empty land" in Benue available for allocation to outside commercial interests. Land that appears unoccupied because its owners have been displaced by violence must never be treated as vacant, abandoned or available for redistribution. "Displacement does not extinguish ownership," MUTA declared, warning that "violence cannot become a pathway to land acquisition." The union called on the Federal Government to suspend Benue State's participation in the proposed pilot and instead prioritise the safe return, rehabilitation, compensation and protection of displaced communities. It argued that if the Federal Government wished to promote modern ranching as an economic policy, such projects should be established where communities voluntarily embrace them, where suitable land is legitimately available, and where participation is based on transparent agreements rather than circumstances created by insecurity and displacement.
MUTA's rejection of the ranching policy is not an isolated opposition. Several groups and individuals, including the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests of Makurdi Diocese, the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State, and the three major socio-cultural organisations in the state – Mdzough U Tiv, Ochetoha k'Idoma, and Omi Ny'Igede – have all rejected the proposal, insisting that the safe return and resettlement of IDPs must be the government's first priority. The Catholic priests had warned that ranching must not become "a disguised instrument for land grabbing, forced occupation or the permanent displacement of indigenous communities," declaring that "our land is not for sale and has never been on sale." The Benue State PDP had also rejected the plan, describing it as an attempt to reintroduce rejected policies such as Ruga and cattle colonies "through the back door."
The opposition in Benue has cut across ethnic, religious and political lines, reflecting a deep-seated fear that the Federal Government's ranching policy could lead to the permanent loss of ancestral lands. The leaders of the socio-cultural organisations have called for genuine consultation, consent and appropriate compensation for host communities before any ranching project is undertaken. They have also demanded comprehensive mediation, security of lives and restoration of occupied communities before the scheme is introduced. Air Commodore Titus Agbecha (retd.), President-General of Mzough U Tiv Worldwide, had earlier stressed that "peace must precede policy," insisting that the government's priority must be the safe return and resettlement of displaced communities.
As the debate over the National Ranching Policy intensifies, the Tiv diaspora has made its position unmistakably clear: Benue's ancestral homes are not bargaining chips, and its people must return home before any discussion of ranching can proceed. The union concluded its statement with a five-point demand: secure the people, return the displaced to their homes, restore their ancestral lands, respect the rights of Benue communities, and ensure that no ranching policy precedes justice, security, restitution and consent. The message to the Federal Government is unambiguous: there is no empty land in Benue, and the people will not be displaced twice.
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