‘Middle Belt, South won’t accept proposed livestock ranching scheme’ – SMBLF

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has raised concerns over the Federal Government's proposal for a livestock ranching scheme that it believes will displace ethnic communities in the Middle Belt. The forum, comprising Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Dr Bitrus Pogu, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, and Ambassador Godknows Igali, accuses the government of targeting the Middle Belt, despite other areas having more available land.

The SMBLF argues that the scheme is a disguised attempt to seize ethnic communities' lands, rather than a genuine effort to develop the livestock value chain. The forum emphasizes that the Land Use Act of 1978 does not permit such arbitrary land acquisition and protects agricultural lands as community property.

The statement warns that if the Middle Belt and Southern states do not firmly oppose the scheme, it will expand to other parts of the country. The SMBLF rejects the proposal, calling for full disclosure of the proposed ranching sites, the legal instruments for their acquisition, ownership structure, security concerns, beneficiaries, land size, and funding sources.

They emphasize that the lands belong to their communities, which depend on them for farming, homes, livelihoods, and survival. The forum asserts that they will resist any attempt to seize community lands under the guise of livestock development.