Ruga settlement: Middle Belt Forum blasts Ortom, Ishaku over rejection of FG’s cattle ranching initiative

The Concerned Middle Belt Citizens Forum (CMBCF) has faulted Benue State Govenror, Samuel Ortom and his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku, for kicking against the planed Ruga settlement for pastoral herders.

National President of the CMBCF, Comrade Augustine Awulu at a press conference on Wednesday, said the governors deliberately stalling peace efforts to end the nagging menace by rejecting the proposal by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Awulu of the CMBCF said Ruga settlement for the herders remains a lasting panacea to the nagging crises between farmer and cattle rearers.

“The Concerned Middle Belt Citizens Forum” (CMBCF) is again constrained to speak to Nigerians for obvious reasons. In the course of the week, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) led by President Muhammadu Buhari announced its intention to experiment with establishing “Ruga Settlements,” for pastoral herders in 12 pilot states of the country. Surprisingly, this policy has been greeted with a strong cynicism, antagonism and antipathy by some States Governors in Nigeria from the Southeast and North Central States. We consider this absurd in the truest sense of it.

We are not principally concerned with whatever the Governors of the Southeast think about this policy which is a carefully thought-out plan and strategy to end the regime of clashes, killings and destruction between herders and farmers in Nigeria.

Therefore, we were not disappointed when Governors of the Southeast opposed it; but drenched in sadness when  Taraba state Governor, Arch. Dairus Ishaku and his Benue State counterpart, Hon. Samuel Ortom voiced opposition to Ruga settlements.

Northerners do not share same cultural ties or even economic proclivities with the Southeast. Easterners are basically businessmen and women or traders. But in the Middle Belt, we are farmers notable in crops and animal husbandry. There is little essence in emphasizing that we need one another to survive in this hostile world,” he said.