{
  "id": 3664605,
  "title": "Farmers-herders crisis: Southern, M’Belt leaders reject FG ranching plan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/farmers-herders-crisis-southern-mbelt-leaders-reject-fg-ranching-plan",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T04:32:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/farmers-herders-crisis-southern-mbelt-leaders-reject-fg-ranching-plan/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Southern and Middle Belt leaders have rejected the Federal Government's proposed ranching plan. They express concerns that the plan could lead to the takeover of ancestral lands belonging to communities in the region. The leaders, who include Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Dr Bitrus Pogu, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, and Ambassador Godknows Igali, describe the proposed scheme as opaque, coercive, and discriminatory.\n\nThe proposed pilot areas for the scheme include Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory, mostly located in the Middle Belt. The leaders warn that if the scheme proceeds without adequate consultation and protection of community land rights, it could eventually expand to the Southern states.\n\nThe leaders do not oppose modern livestock production, ranching, or development of Nigeria's livestock value chain, but insist that any policy must respect the rights of indigenous communities.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "This Day",
        "title": "Southern, Middle Belt Leaders Reject FG’s Ranching Plan, Warn against Land Seizure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/southern-middle-belt-leaders-reject-fgs-ranching-plan-warn-against",
        "published": "2026-08-27T03:23:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Farmers-herders crisis: Southern, M’Belt leaders reject FG ranching plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/farmers-herders-crisis-southern-mbelt-leaders-reject-fg-ranching-plan-3667670",
        "published": "2026-08-27T04:48:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}