Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, yesterday, kicked against any move to carve out scarce land for grazing reserves for cattle, making it clear his state would not have anything to do with the idea. Rather, the governor endorsed the setting up of cattle ranches across the country as is being done by other cattle-producing countries including Swaziland in Africa. The governor, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard in Abuja, pointed out that the idea of setting up grazing reserves across Nigeria for cattle had been overtaken by Nigeria’s rising population and the paucity of land.

Ortom said that Benue State as a farming settlement and food basket of Nigeria could not afford to trade away its farming areas for grazing reserves and would therefore liaise with the Federal Government to encourage the setting up of cattle ranch. The governor said: “Fulani herdsmen and Benue State is one notorious issue that has refused to go away. But we are addressing the matter. But I know that we need ranches to stop this menace round the country because globally that is what is being practised.

“Cattle are raised in America, Europe and Asia and even on African soil in Swaziland. They all ranch their cattle. Why should we refuse to do same in Nigeria? I have been talking to my people to deal peacefully with the herdsmen because two wrongs do not make a right. If there is any breach they should report to law enforcement agencies.