Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has explained that cattle colony which the federal government is proposing for Fulani herdsmen had always been in existence in different names.
“The question of cattle colony or grazing land or whatever name they are called is about the same thing really.”
The minister, who answered reporters’ questions in Abuja today, Wednesday recalled how he grew up in the hinterlands to meet what was then called cattle routes.
“We call them “burtali” in local language. This was established by the federal government in 1914. It was a designated routes where they (cattle) follow, feed, graze, drink water.

“When that one was available, there was no farmer/herdsmen clash because the routes were specific, identified and mapped and compensation was paid over time.”
Hadi Sirika said that because of development and increase in population, such routes were either captured or converted to farms.
He said that in mapping out cattle colonies, government will definitely have recourse to owners of farm lands and laws of the land. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a substantive Director General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The new Director General is Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, a retired career Foreign Service officer, who till his appointment served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs/International Relations.
Abubakar had extensive experience working with the United Nations in peace support operations, mediation process, preventive diplomacy and good offices, as well as the promotion of good governance and respect for the rule of law and human rights.
He also briefly served as Senior Adviser at the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), with headquarters in Ndjamena, Chad, before his appointment as SSAP.
Abubakar holds a B.A degree in French Language and Literature, and an M.A degree in Francophone Maghrebian Literature, both from Bayero University, Kano. He is also fluent in English and Arabic.
A statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that the appointment is with immediate effect.[myad]

Governor Samuel Ortom has reiterated that members of a Fulani group, known as Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore are threats to peace in his state, insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari should do something about it.
Governor Ortom who had a closed-door meeting with the President today, Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja said: “I believe that my request that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, who has earlier threatened and I accused them directly…since June last year, I have been writing to the leadership of security agencies that these people are a threat to our collective interest and they must be dealt with.
“They must be arrested and prosecuted because we cannot allow impunity to continue to thrive.”
The governor regretted that because there was no action taken, the same group embarked on recent killings, adding: “I think that Mr. President will also do the needful to ensure something is done.
“There has been relative peace amongst farmers and herdsmen; they were doing well until this militia – Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore – came and attacked us. And they are known. We know where they are. As I talk to you they are in Tongua in Awe local government. That is where these people are camped and coming to attack people.”
Governor Ortom said that he had, on January 1st, briefed the President when the killing incident began, and that after sometime when action was not forthwith, he had to come back personally to the Aso Villa to brief him.
“Already, because of the communications we have been having when this incidents started, actions have been taken as directed by him (President Buhari).
“The movement of the DIG (Deputy Inspector General – of police), the movement of the IG (Inspector General – of police) to Benue State to ensure that this challenge is surmounted, at the instance of Mr. President is the right thing in the right direction.
“Of course, additional personally of DSS (Department of State Security) and Police have been deployed, and even the Army. “We have additional personnel on ground now. We have adequately and fully given them the logistics support to ensure that our people are protected.”
Governor Ortom denied that he hired mercenaries from Republic of Ghana to fight herdsmen, saying: “I’m not aware of this and I don’t even know about that. I’m hearing it for the first time. If someone has done that it must be this Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, that have done it.”
On suggestion that full blown military operations be set up in Benue like other places, he said: “anything that can stop the killings of my people I will go for it. I support it. Any policy or any directive, anything that will helped stop the killing of these innocent people who are not armed because this can not continue is welcome.
“We know that the continuity of this will create greater challenges. I don’t want it to continue. We are struggling with economic issues; we are struggling with political issues and we are struggling with several other issues in this country, security issues and all that – Benue State should not be part of this. There is no need for it.”
The governor said that the law on prohibition of Open Grazing and Establishment of Ranching was made out of the necessity to ensure that there is peace for herdsmen and farmers.
“The law seeks to protect all and as I talk to you, except this Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, who are instigating people to fight and to kill us, there are Fulani men in Benue State as I talk to you doing their businesses.
Speaking on the Federal Government’s idea on setting up colonies to solve the problem, Ortom said: “I’m waiting to be briefed about what colonies means. I don’t understand it…but like I keep saying, for us, the way forward is ranching and uptil this time I am talking to you, the way forward is ranching because it is global best practice.
“It is practice in other parts of the world, on African soil, in Swaziland, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and almost all African countries that rear cattle. So why can’t we do the same thing here?
“For the colony thing  I don’t know what colony is.”

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has denied news making the rounds that On the he was prevented from seeing President Muhammadu Buhari.
He declared: “I have never accused anyone of blocking me from seeing Mr. President. I’m seeing Mr. President. I told him when this incident occurred I spoke to Mr. President on phone and followed it up. I know what it entails being a President, even as governor most times I am not with my phone. People cannot access me the way it used to be, talk less of a president. I didn’t say that and I have not said it.”
The governor, who answered reporters’ questions after an audience with President Buhari today, Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja stressed that he has free and unfettered access to the President anytime he wants,
“I speak to him on phone and I see him personally. I requested to speak to him on phone that day because I couldn’t come to Abuja and he gave me the opportunity and today I’m here and I have seen him.”