- Raises Land-Use Concerns
- Suggests Sambisa Forest, Other Locations As Alternatives
THE BENUE State Law Students Association of Nigeria (BENLAWSAN) has rejected the Federal Government’s plan to designate five states in the Middle Belt region, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for the pilot rollout of its proposed National Ranching Programme.
In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Iortyom Ushahemba Moses, dated August 18, 2026, and made available to National Record, BENLAWSAN said while acknowledging Federal Government’s responsibility to develop policies aimed at addressing insecurity, improving agricultural productivity and reducing the persistent conflict between farmers and herders; it however, sees the proposed policy as “lopsided, ill-conceived and fundamentally misplaced.”
BENLAWSAN argues that the selection of the states for the pilot programme could worsen competition over land in states that are already experiencing intense pressure on agricultural resources.
The association’s reaction follows reports that the Federal Government has mapped Benue, Plateau, the FCT, Nasarawa and Kaduna for a pilot ranching programme. The plan has revived debate over the appropriate role of government in the development of Nigeria’s livestock sector and the use of land for ranching.
At the centre of BENLAWSAN’s objection is its contention that ranching should primarily be treated as a private economic activity rather than one for which government should designate public or community land without adequate consultation and legal safeguards.
The association argued that ranching, like crop production, livestock trading and transportation, is a legitimate commercial enterprise that should ordinarily be undertaken by individuals, companies, cooperatives and other lawful private entities.
It therefore questioned any arrangement under which the Federal Government could effectively impose a particular land-use pattern on states or communities without considering constitutional provisions, land laws, demographic realities and the interests of affected residents.
BENLAWSAN specifically cited Nigeria’s land administration framework, including the Land Use Act, arguing that although government has powers to acquire land for overriding public purposes, such powers are subject to legal requirements and should not be treated as unrestricted authority to allocate scarce agricultural or community land to a particular economic activity.
The association said any acquisition or designation of land must be supported by compelling public-interest considerations, due process and, where applicable, lawful compensation for affected persons.
BENLAWSAN expressed particular concern about the reported selection of states in the Middle Belt, arguing that many of the affected areas have high population densities, significant agricultural activity and rapidly expanding settlements.
According to the association, communities in the region are already dealing with increasing pressure on arable land as a result of population growth, settlement expansion and environmental changes.
It warned that introducing additional land requirements for ranching into such areas could intensify existing disputes rather than resolve them.
The association also noted that competition for farmland is not restricted to farmer-herder disputes, saying some communities already experience disagreements among farmers themselves over access to available agricultural land.
“A policy that seeks to address insecurity by creating additional competition over land in already land-constrained communities risks aggravating the very problem it purports to solve,” BENLAWSAN said.
Calls for Broader Livestock Reforms
Rather than relying primarily on government-designated ranches, the law students’ association called for a comprehensive national strategy that combines modern livestock production with stronger security and conflict-resolution mechanisms.
Among its recommendations are voluntary and privately financed ranching, improved veterinary services, livestock identification and traceability, regulation of transhumance, early-warning systems, stronger community policing and intelligence gathering.
It also called for better protection of farming communities and the prosecution of individuals responsible for killings, destruction of farms, cattle rustling, banditry and other criminal activities, regardless of their ethnic, religious or regional identity.
The association maintained that ranching could form part of the solution to Nigeria’s livestock and security challenges, but argued that the burden of establishing livestock infrastructure should not simply be transferred to communities that are already struggling with limited access to agricultural land.
Sambisa Forest Suggestion
In a particularly pointed part of its statement, BENLAWSAN questioned why areas affected by insecurity should not first be considered when the government is examining large-scale land for national security and livestock-development purposes.
It specifically referred to territories in states such as Niger, Borno and Bauchi that have been affected by banditry and insurgency, arguing that the government should examine areas where large tracts of land have become inaccessible because of insecurity.
The association therefore suggested that the Sambisa Forest, which has long been associated with insurgent activity, could potentially be considered for a national security and livestock-development project after effective state control has been restored.
Its argument, it said, was intended to highlight what it sees as an inconsistency in prioritising scarce and contested agricultural land in densely populated communities while extensive territories remain affected by insecurity.
Long History of Federal Ranching Initiatives
The current controversy comes against the backdrop of several federal attempts to move Nigeria’s livestock sector away from open grazing and toward ranch-based production.
The National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), introduced following persistent farmer-herder crisis, was designed around market-oriented livestock production, including ranching, with federal and state governments, pastoralists, farmers and private investors envisaged as participants. Earlier versions of the programme identified states including Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara among areas targeted for implementation.
The Federal Government subsequently provided funding for pilot ranching projects. In 2021, for example, N1 billion was reportedly released as a seed grant for pilot ranches in Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa and Kaduna, with the funding intended to support model ranches and training for pastoralist and crop-farming households.
More recently, ranching has continued to feature in government efforts to tackle farmer-herder violence and modernise livestock production. In 2025, several states were reported to be taking steps towards establishing ranching facilities, although the level of participation and willingness to provide land varied from state to state.
The history of the policy also illustrates why land ownership, state participation and community consent remain sensitive issues. Previous ranching proposals have generated resistance in some states, while others have indicated willingness to participate where existing government reserves or other designated land could be used. Plateau, for instance, previously identified government reserves in Wase and Kanam for a pilot ranching scheme.
BENLAWSAN’s Six Demands
BENLAWSAN is consequently asking the Federal Government to review and ultimately rescind the proposed designation of the five states and the FCT in its present form.
It also wants the government to abandon any attempt to impose ranching on states or communities without meaningful participation and consent; recognise ranching as a legitimate private economic enterprise and encourage private investment; formulate a national livestock policy based on population density, land availability, environmental sustainability and security realities; and strengthen security agencies to identify and prosecute perpetrators of violence and other criminal activities
Other demands include ensuring that any land acquired for a genuine overriding public purpose complies with the Land Use Act and other applicable laws; and the protection of the rights of affected persons, including their entitlement to due process and lawful compensation where applicable.
Call on Benue State Govt
The association also urged the Benue State Government to take a firm position on the policy; arguing that Benue’s predominantly agrarian economy makes access to land a particularly important issue and said any federal initiative capable of changing land-use patterns or increasing pressure on agricultural land in the state should receive rigorous scrutiny.
BENLAWSAN urged the state government to protect the interests of its residents while continuing to engage the Federal Government on sustainable measures for addressing farmer-herder conflict.
The association stressed that its position was neither partisan nor directed against any ethnic or religious group. Instead, it called for a national response that protects both farming and livestock interests while addressing criminality through effective law enforcement.
“Land-use policy must follow security realities and socio-economic logic, not political convenience,” the association said.
BENLAWSAN called for wider consultations involving state governments, traditional institutions, farmers’ organisations, livestock owners, legal experts, civil society groups and affected communities.
It maintained that although the farmer-herder crisis requires a national solution, such a solution must be “fair, lawful, inclusive and rational.”
