Middle Belt Forum Rejects Land Allocation for Cattle Ranching, Demands Review of FG Policy
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has rejected any plan to compulsorily allocate land in the region for cattle ranching, warning that such a policy could heighten tensions in communities already affected by insecurity and displacement.
The socio-cultural and political organisation also called on National Assembly members from affected states to summon the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, to explain the Federal Government’s ranching policy and its implications for communities.
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Luka Binniyat, the forum said it had reviewed the government’s renewed livestock development programme and opposed what it described as the allocation of Middle Belt lands for ranching and the creation of permanent settlements for pastoralists.
The MBF argued that the policy could amount to land acquisition under the guise of livestock development if implemented without the consent of affected communities.
It cited Adamawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, Taraba and the Federal Capital Territory as areas where communities have experienced serious violence and displacement, saying residents remained concerned about plans involving large-scale land allocation for cattle ranching.
Forum questions choice of locations
The group questioned why Middle Belt states were being selected for the pilot ranching programme when, according to it, some northern states have large areas of sparsely populated land.
It also expressed concern over reported changes to the proposed locations, noting that Kano State, which it said was initially listed among six locations announced in January 2026, had reportedly been replaced by Nasarawa State.
The development, the forum said, had further increased concerns about the objectives and implementation of the programme.
The MBF maintained that government should first focus on securing and returning displaced communities to their ancestral homes rather than allocating additional land for cattle settlements.
It said any land-related policy must involve meaningful consultations with affected communities and provide adequate security guarantees.
“The MBF will not stand by while our ancestral land is taken from their owners,” the forum said.
MBF threatens legal action
The organisation also criticised what it described as attempts to promote the Wase model in Plateau State, saying farmers and other stakeholders had raised concerns over the proposal.
It warned that imposing land policies without the genuine consent of affected communities could deepen existing tensions and potentially trigger further conflict.
The forum urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the policy and called for the immediate suspension of what it described as a “provocative policy” in the Middle Belt.
It also encouraged affected communities to use lawful and constitutional means to challenge any implementation they consider unlawful.
The MBF called on lawyers across the region to be prepared to challenge in court any alleged illegal acquisition or allocation of community land.
Call for lawmakers and governors to act
The group urged National Assembly members representing affected states to defend the interests of their constituents and invite the livestock development minister to explain the policy and hear concerns from communities.
It also warned state governors against allocating ancestral or community land without obtaining the genuine consent of the people.
The forum said voters should use lawful democratic means, including elections, to reject governors who allocate community lands without the consent of their communities.
The MBF said the Middle Belt had “been bled, displaced and dispossessed enough”, urging the Federal Government to make security, consultation and the protection of communities central to its livestock development policies.
