Some residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday, appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider proposed nationwide application of Ruga settlement, saying it could engender strife in the country.
Ruga seeks to settle migrant pastoral families. It is a rural settlement in which animal farmers, not just cattle herders, would be settled in an organised place with provision of basic amenities, including schools, markets and hospitals.
Mrs Odinakaonye Lagi, Senior Programme Director, Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI), told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that Ruga would create a foundation for conflict.
She said that every herder was a businessman and that “like the rest of us, should buy land and build his or her house for whatever business they are doing and pay taxes.
According to Lagi, the herders do not give cattle free to the other Nigerians. For example, rice farmers are not given free land and houses.
“They are given loans through input which they pay back.
“Livestock farmers should all be given loans also to go seek out what they need. Land owners can sell to them if they want to and not for government to establish specific settlements for that purpose,” she said.
Lagi explained that the implication of having Ruga across the country amounted to using the commonwealth of the nation for one particular group.
“This group is not facing any particular distinct disadvantage that every other Nigerian is facing. Another implication is that this is not the spirit of true federalism.
“This move will create anarchy and bring further division and mistrust among Nigerians. It is a bad trend for a diverse society.
“We should invest in all rural communities and not in some selected few,” she said.
Lagi called on the government to make public all gazetted grazing reserves in the country and develop them before embarking on Ruga project.
“Land Use Act is already viewed as an unjust law passed down by the military and Ruga will only make insecurity worse as it creates breeding ground for more tribal militant groups,” she said.
A civil servant, Mr David Fiase, called on the authorities to systematically resolve problems which may have informed the contemplation of Ruga settlement across the country rather than resorting to the policy.
He said that sorting out the issues was necessary because it had been established that some of the herders were foreigners.
According to Fiase, it will not be right to put in place a policy that will give a man’s or community’s land to a foreigner to inhabit.
A teacher at the University of Jos, Mr Dan Kagaru, said that farming, either pastoral or crop production, was a personal business, which individuals involved could obtain loans to enhance their businesses.
“It is, therefore, inappropriate for government to say that it is creating specific areas for herders.
“Government can only provide aids, but land purchase or acquisition are personal businesses that should be handled by any individual,” Kagaru said.
He said that the implications of having operating Ruga included abuse and misapplication of the settlements and occurrence of cattle rustling which could trigger uncontrollable crises.
“We cannot also prevent foreign herders from occupying such facilities which can complicate population control and raise serious security concerns,” he added.
The Federal Government has already begun pilot schemes of Ruga settlement for herders in 12 states.
Alhaji Mohammadu Umar, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, had said that the settlements when fully established, would address the incessant clashes between herders and farmers.
Umar explained that the pilot programme had commenced on a 31, 000-hectare land in Kotongora, Niger.
He said that the government would replicate the programme in selected states as work was ongoing in the 12 pilot states.
According to him, six settlements will be established in each of the pilot states. (NAN)
