Audu Ogbeh says government is now committed to establishing ranches for Fulani cattle herdsmen

AGRICULTURE minister Chief Audu Ogbeh has announced that the federal government will soon begin cattle ranching across the country as part of its programme to put an end to the incessant murderous attacks by Fulani cattle herdsmen.

Over the last three years since President Buhari assumed office, Fulani herdsmen have stepped up their campaign of violence against farming communities, especially in Nigeria's Middle Belt. These attacks by the heavily-armed herdsmen have sparked fierce criticism, with the government under attack for nothing to bring the perpetuators to justice or stop the carnage.

President Buhari has come under a lot of personal criticism being accused of inaction due to the fact that he himself is an ethnic Fulani and breeds cattle, so is reluctant to move against his kinsmen. Of late, however, President Buhari has instructed the security forces to confront the herdsmen but the government still does not have a coherent policy to end the practise of nomadism, which leads to livestock destroying farmland.

However, speaking yesterday during an official visit to a beans market at Auta Ballefi in  Nasarawa State, Chief Ogbeh said: “We are starting the ranches soon. We want to stop the cows roaming about causing fights and killings."

Operated by internally displaced persons, the beans market is part of a government initiative to get those displaced by the Boko Haram crisis back on their feet. Chief Ogbeh said that when the ranches are up and running, the Auta Ballefi will be asked to supply the pastoralists with beans to be used as animal feed.