Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni on Sunday officially inaugurated a Fulani Rural Grazing Area (Ruga) settlement in Nguru Local Government Area.
The settlement, established by philanthropist Balarabe Abdullahi, popularly known as Balarabe DJ, is aimed at reducing violent clashes between farmers and herders in the region.
Equipped with essential social and economic facilities, the community includes two-bedroom residential homes, a school, a shopping centre, a primary healthcare facility, potable water, electricity, and a mosque, providing pastoralists with a safe and sustainable living environment.
At the commissioning ceremony, Governor Buni said the initiative would help curb open grazing, which often leads to the destruction of farmland, while also promoting the integration of herders into broader society. He highlighted that the settlement would improve access to education and healthcare for pastoralist communities.
Governor Buni commended Alhaji Abdullahi for his contributions and encouraged other public-spirited individuals to emulate his efforts in fostering peace and development.
“The school, clinic, healthcare facility, and housing provided for the Ruga settlement are commendable. We appreciate his contributions on behalf of the people of Nguru, Yobe State, and Nigeria,” Buni stated.
Alhaji Abdullahi added that the project was specifically designed to prevent conflicts by providing designated grazing areas for herders. In 2025, several northern states—including Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Bauchi, and Nasarawa—had mapped out land under the National Livestock Transformation Plan (Ruga) to address the farmer-herder conflict and boost food production, complementing the Federal Government’s livestock development initiatives.
