We Don’t Have Land To Be Donated For Cattle Colony, Benue Governor Tells Buhari

The governor of troubled Benue State, samuel Ortom, has made it categorically clear to President Muhammadu Buhari that his state has no land to be donated for the proposed cattle colony.
Ortom, who spoke to news men shortly after a meeting with President Buhari along with other stakeholders from the state, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, Monday, said the reason for the enactment of law on open grazing was because there is no land for such open grazing.
“For us in Benue State, there is no 10,000 hectares (of land). “They (Federal Government) are looking for 5,000 hectares (but) we have no 10,000 hectares to allow it for that kind of a thing to take place. So people are free.
“Other states have the land but we in Benue State we don’t have and that was what led to us enacting this law.”
Governor Ortom said that initially, he did not understand what colonies meant but that today (Monday), he was privileged to meet the minister of agriculture, Audu Ogbe, and that he explained to him that a colony is many ranches in one place; restricted in one place.
The governor insisted that the federal government should support his government “to enforce our laws and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “And so, as the father of the land, we needed to communicate this to him. We have not committed any offense rather we are looking for a solution to a problem that has become an epidemic to Nigeria and we need a solution.
“For us, we have seen that even before the law, killings were taking place even more than what we are witnessing today. “That we are looking for ways of getting out of it and today we have found a way and that is the law which seeks to protect all. We are not sending anyone away from Benue State. The herdsmen whether you are Igbo, Fulani, Hausa, Idoma, Tiv, anywhere you come from, you are free to follow the law, obtain permit and then do the ranch and you are protected.
“Benue State will protect you from cattle rustlers when you do this and a farmer will also go to the farm without being intimidated or harassed by any herdsman. So for us, we wanted him to know our feelings as our Mr. President and that we have communicated and he has given us assurance that he will ensure that the oath which he swore to protect lives and properties he will do it and Benue State cannot be an exception.”