KATSINA-ALA, NIGERIA — Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has declared that no ranch will be established in the state without the consent of his administration and the people, insisting that his government will resist any attempt by external forces to take Benue land for pastoralist purposes.
Speaking on Tuesday at a town hall meeting with stakeholders from the Sankera bloc, comprising Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo local government areas, Alia addressed growing concerns over the Federal Government’s proposed National Ranching Policy, which had listed Benue among states selected for the pilot phase .
“Nobody will force us to cede even an inch of our land to pastoralists for any purpose,” Alia declared. “If that must happen, I can assure you, it will not be this time that I am still the Governor of Benue State” .
The governor’s comments come against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s plan to address persistent farmer-herder clashes through the establishment of ranches across several states. The policy was set to begin with a pilot project in Plateau before extending to Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Adamawa and the Federal Capital Territory .
Alia further assured stakeholders that the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, enacted in 2017, remains in force and would be adequately enforced under his watch . The law, which prohibits open grazing and promotes ranching, was signed by former Governor Samuel Ortom following years of deadly clashes between farmers and herders that resulted in the displacement of thousands of Benue residents.
The governor’s position aligns with the stance taken by major sociocultural organisations in the state. Mzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’Idoma and Omi Ny’Igede — representing the Tiv, Idoma and Igede peoples respectively — had earlier rejected the inclusion of Benue in the pilot programme, arguing that the state was still grappling with insecurity and the displacement of farming communities . The groups insisted that priority should be given to securing affected areas and returning displaced residents to their ancestral homes rather than imposing pastoral settlements.
The controversy has also reignited debate over the interpretation of “ranching” and its implications for land use. In separate remarks, Alia clarified that livestock development should not automatically be equated with cattle ranching, pointing out that Benue has other livestock — including goats and sheep — which could also be developed as economic opportunities . He suggested the proposed programme should be understood within a broader livestock-development context rather than being automatically equated with the establishment of cattle ranches.
Alia also used the occasion to announce enhanced security measures for the Sankera axis, which has experienced repeated attacks, killings, kidnappings and displacement in recent months . The governor disclosed that three military operational units would be deployed to strategic locations: Agu in Katsina-Ala, Anyiin in Logo and Azendeshi in Ukum . In addition, the state government would provide 30 motorcycles to security agencies to improve patrols and enable faster responses to security threats.
The town hall meeting formed part of Alia’s statewide thank-you tour following his emergence as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the 2027 governorship election . During the tour, he also announced plans to construct a new dam with a projected capacity of 460 megawatts, which would provide water and support electricity generation for the state .
Alia’s declaration comes amid sustained opposition to the Federal Government’s ranching proposal from civil society groups, professional associations and opposition parties in Benue. A coalition of Benue professionals under the aegis of the OnTiv Professionals Association had previously argued that the state, whose economy is anchored on crop farming rather than large-scale livestock production, should not be included in the pilot scheme until millions of its displaced citizens are first resettled in their ancestral homes . The group further alleged that the Federal Government had refused to back enforcement of the state’s anti-open-grazing law with security support, leaving over three million residents displaced by herders’ attacks.
The governor’s position has drawn a firm line between his administration and the Federal Government’s pilot ranching programme. For now, the message from Benue is clear: no inch of land will be ceded without the people’s consent, and no policy will be imposed while he remains governor.
