Catholic priests reject govt’s plan to establish ranch in Benue
The planned National Ranching Policy of the federal government has already met a stumbling block even before kick off, as the Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, has kicked agains the plan. the group rejected government’s decision to include Benue State in the pilot implementation of the policy, warning that it could threaten […] The post Catholic priests…
The Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA) in Makurdi has vehemently opposed the federal government's plan to establish a ranch in Benue State. This decision comes before the pilot implementation of the National Ranching Policy, which the government identified Benue and the Federal Capital Territory as pilot states.
Rev. Fr. Joseph Beba, NCDPA chairman, criticised the plan, stating that it could threaten ancestral lands and residents' security. The priests expressed concern over the exclusion of Benue State's elected leadership from the decision-making process, warning that the policy could lead to land grabbing and forced displacement of indigenous communities.
The NCDPA has called on the Federal Government to respect the constitutional rights of Benue residents, engage with the state government and traditional rulers transparently, and ensure the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons to their communities. The association argued that Benue is predominantly an agrarian state, calling the commercial ranching idea unviable.
The NCDPA insisted that Benue's ancestral lands are not for sale and urged the government to reconsider the plan and adopt policies that respect residents' safety, dignity, and land rights, while facilitating the return of displaced communities to their ancestral homes.
Written by urgent.news from Ripples Nigeria's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
