The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, has rejected what it described as an attempt by the Federal Government to take over ancestral lands in the Middle Belt under a proposed “pilot scheme” linked to the New National Livestock Policy.
The forum, in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, said the proposed ranching areas include Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Taraba and the Federal Capital Territory.
The SMBLF said it was “alarmed by the audacious attempt by the Federal Government to take over lands belonging to ethnic communities in the Middle Belt under a spurious ‘pilot scheme’ being introduced in the name of a New National Livestock Policy.”
It questioned why the proposed experiment was concentrated largely in the Middle Belt despite what it described as “the vast expanses of sparsely populated and unused land available in many parts of the far North, where Fulani Emirs dominate most of the lands.”
The forum warned that although the scheme was being presented as a pilot programme, it could eventually be expanded to other parts of the country, including the Southern states, if communities failed to oppose it.
“The scheme is being presented as a pilot, but if it is not firmly opposed by the communities whose lands are being short-changed, it will inevitably be expanded to other parts of the country, including the Southern States.”
The SMBLF, however, said it was not opposed to modern livestock production, ranching or development of the livestock value chain.
“Let us be clear: The SMBLF is not opposed to modern livestock production, ranching or the development of the livestock value chain.”
It said its objection was to what it described as the manner in which the policy was being implemented.
“What we reject is the opaque, coercive and discriminatory manner in which this policy is being pursued to the exclusive advantage of nomadic Fulani herdsmen.”
The forum said it stood firmly with the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, which had already rejected the proposed scheme, while urging communities and governments in Southern states to prepare to resist the policy.
“The SMBLF stands firmly with the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), which has already rejected the scheme. We also call on communities and governments of the Southern State to stand ready to reject the policy.”
The group also challenged the Federal Government’s interpretation of the Land Use Act of 1978, arguing that the legislation does not provide a basis for arbitrary acquisition of community lands.
“The Federal Government must be reminded that the Land Use Act of 1978 is not a licence for arbitrary land grabbing.”
According to the forum, the law vests rural land in Local Governments, recognises customary rights of occupancy and permits revocation only for overriding public interest.
“It vests rural land in Local Governments, recognises customary rights of occupancy, and allows revocation only for overriding public interest.”
The SMBLF further argued that agricultural land, including fallow land, remains community property, while ranching should be treated as a privately driven economic activity.
“It also protects agricultural land, including fallow land, as continuing community property.”
“Ranching is an economic enterprise that is privately driven. Government cannot disguise compulsory land acquisition for specific economic actors as public interest.”
The forum alleged that the proposed policy could be aimed at establishing permanent settlements for nomadic Fulani herdsmen, linking the allegation to years of violent attacks and displacement across the Middle Belt and parts of Southern Nigeria.
“The SMBLF deeply suspects that the true aim of this policy is the creation of permanent settlement zones for nomadic Fulani herdsmen, whose violent activities over the years have contributed to the capture and occupation of thousands of square kilometres of land across the Middle Belt and even parts of Southern states.”
It further alleged that the activities of some nomadic pastoralists had resulted in deaths and displacement, warning against allocating ancestral lands to people it described as perpetrators of violence.
“Apart from the genocide they have been accused of carrying out in the Middle Belt, they have rendered millions homeless. They cannot be handed the lands of their victims as a reward for their heinous crimes.”
The SMBLF also raised concerns over the citizenship status of some nomadic pastoralists, saying the issue must be considered before any large-scale allocation of ancestral lands.
“It is also a matter of record that some of these nomadic pastoralists are not Nigerian citizens. Any policy that ignores these realities while allocating vast ancestral lands to them under state protection is unacceptable to the indigenous people of the Middle Belt and the South.”
The forum recalled previous proposals, including the Rural Grazing Area, RUGA, and Cattle Colony initiatives, which it said Nigerians rejected because of concerns over land ownership and demographic changes.
“We have seen similar attempts before under different names, including the rejected RUGA and Cattle Colony proposals, which Nigerians resisted because of their implications for land ownership and demographic restructuring.”
The SMBLF said it would not accept the proposed policy and warned the Federal Government against using the Middle Belt and Southern states as locations for what it described as controversial land policies.
“The SMBLF will not accept such a policy.”
“We warn the Federal Government that the Middle Belt and the South are not dumping grounds for controversial land policies.”
The forum insisted that community lands belong to the people who depend on them for agriculture, housing, livelihoods and survival.
“Our lands belong to our communities that depend on them for farming, homes, livelihoods and survival.”
The SMBLF demanded full disclosure of details surrounding the proposed ranching programme, including the locations, legal instruments, ownership arrangements, security implications, beneficiaries, land sizes and funding sources.
“If this policy must stand, we demand full disclosure of the proposed ranching sites, the legal instruments for their acquisition, the ownership structure, security concerns, the beneficiaries, the size of the lands involved and the source of funding.”
The forum said it would continue to reject the proposed ranching scheme until the Federal Government provides satisfactory answers and guarantees the rights of affected communities.
“Until these questions are answered transparently and the rights of affected communities are fully protected, the SMBLF rejects the proposed ranching scheme in the Middle Belt and the South.”
It added:
“We will resist every attempt to seize community lands under the guise of livestock development.”
The statement was signed by HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Leader, Afenifere and Chairman, SMBLF; Dr Bitrus Pogu, President, Middle Belt Forum; Senator John Azuta-Mbata, President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; and Ambassador Godknows Igali, National Chairman, PANDEF.
Boluwatife Enome
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