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Ortom, Ohanaeze, Falana kick over unknown grazing routes
Ahead of the September 1 target date, the anti-open grazing laws have become operational in Ogun, Abia, Oyo, Ekiti, and Ebonyi.
Rivers, Osun, Bayelsa and Ondo, which have signed legislations, while Delta, Akwa Ibom and Enugu have sent bills to their state Assemblies. A few of the states like Anambra, Cross River, Imo, Edo and Lagos are yet to begin legislative process on the bill.
What has now stirred the hornets’ nest is a statement released on Thursday, which unveiled President Buhari’s move to revive 368 grazing reserves in 25 out of the 36 states in the country by approving recommendations of a committee chaired by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to review, ‘with dispatch’, 368 grazing sites to determine the levels of encroachment, stakeholder engagements and sensitisation.
The statement did not disclose the 25 states where the purported grazing sites were located, but it is expected that states that reportedly agreed to RUGA after unprecedented uproar against the policy will be among the 25 states. They include Sokoto, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kogi, Taraba, Katsina, Plateau, Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger.
It is also speculated that Kwara, Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun and Ebonyi are included in states where efforts are already on to reclaim grazing routes.
Some officials in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, when contacted at the weekend could not disclose the identities of the concerned states.
Checks at other ministries represented in the committee headed by Gambari, which advised the President on the review of the grazing reserves, also failed to offer any clue on the identities of the 25 states. The ministries include: justice, water resources and environment.
But an official in the Ministry of Justice explained that the identities of the 25 states would likely be made known when the committee concluded the review directed by the President. The official suggested that the statement issued by the presidency to announce the review would have disclosed the identities of the 25 states if it was necessary at the moment.
The Gambari-led committee had its inaugural meeting on May 10 but its activities were not publicised until the Presidency on August 29 announced that President Buhari had, based on its recommendations, directed a review of the controversial grazing reserves.
But in a recent report, Director of Department of Animal Husbandry Services at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Winnie Lai-Solarin, had said there were 415 grazing reserves in Nigeria.
According to Lai-Solarin, the 415 grazing reserves were located in 21 states, with 141 of the grazing reserves gazetted. Out of the 415 grazing reserves, only two are in the South, one each in Ogun and Oyo states.
Lai-Solarin noted that Nigeria’s grazing reserve law, known as the National Grazing Reserve Law, was passed in 1965. The then Northern Nigeria Legislative Assembly had, in 1965, enacted the Grazing Reserve Law to provide legal grazing rights and land titles to pastoralists, particularly Fulani herdsmen, as a response to tensions between the herdsmen and farmers.
YESTERDAY, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, again restated his disagreement with the President’s directive when he threatened to drag President Buhari to court should he insist on going ahead with any policy that will support open grazing or grazing reserve in the country.
Ortom, who spoke with newsmen after arriving Makurdi from Asaba, where he attended the burial of the father of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, insisted that under his watch, the state will never accept open grazing.
While maintaining that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria supercedes the Northern Nigeria Law that provided for grazing reserves, the Governor said the state government will not accept the policy, insisting that he would rather stand with the NLTP.
Governor Ortom wondered why the President has continued to insist on open grazing, which had been banned in Benue since 2017. “The truth is that if the entire country had accepted ranching, why is Mr. President insisting on open grazing when there is no land for such.
“In the 50s, when this policy was initiated, what was the population of Nigeria, it was less that 40 million, but today we are more than 200 million. The 923 square kilometer is not even enough to cater for the population. The reason Mr. President is insisting on this, to some of us, I think shows there is a hidden agenda.
“Under my watch, Benue State will not accept open grazing. I have already briefed my lawyers should Mr. President insist on going ahead with the policy,” Ortom stated.
The Governor stated that the Land Use Act is clear on the issue of land ownership and management, stressing that any attempt to subvert his right as a Governor through creation of nonexistent cattle routes would be resisted with a legal action.
He called on aides of the President to advise him properly on issues so that things would work better for the country, pointing out that insisting on cattle routes in the 21st century when states are enacting ranching laws was retrogressive.
Governor Ortom stated that already, there is serious food crisis in the country due to insecurity and if nothing is done to curtail the trend, the situation would get worse in the coming years.
“Farmers have been chased into IDP camps by herders and children are dying of starvation in addition to being denied education, yet what is more important to the central government is the wellbeing of cows. We expected the pitiable condition of displaced people to be the preoccupation of the Federal Government but it is sad that what the Presidency is interested in is grabbing land for cows,’’ the governor maintained.
SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has said the Federal Government should give a special allocation of N6.25 billion to other states in the country as it was given to Katsina State for the establishment of ranching in the state.
Falana, who is the Interim Chair, Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), said the reciprocal gesture is expressly stated in the Constitution that the people of Nigeria shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law.
He made this known in a statement issued to newsmen in Lagos yesterday, where he recalled that President Buhari approved the sum of N6.25 billion for the immediate establishment of ranching in Katsina. He explained that President Buhari has adopted ranching to replace open grazing in line with the NLTP.
“Since what is good for the goose is good for the gander, we call on the President to approve the allocation of the same sum of N6.25 billion for every other State Government for ranch development purposes. This demand is in consonance section 17 (1) of the Constitution, which stipulates that the people of Nigeria shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law.”
The human rights activist, therefore, urged the Federal Government to jettison the planned implementation of grazing reserves in 25 states since the Northern Governors Forum and the Southern Governors Forum have rejected open grazing and adopted the NLTP of the Federal Government.
He added that the Federal Government has no business reviving grazing reserves.
OHANAEZE Ndigbo, yesterday, urged Southeast governors to actualize their resolve to ban on open grazing. In a statement in Abakaliki, the Secretary-General of Chidi Ibeh-led faction, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, noted that no governor would take the risk of donating lands for grazing reserves in Igboland to Fulani herdsmen without facing curses of Ndigbo.
The statement reads: “We beseech the Southeast governors to suppress the temptation of giving up their stance on open grazing ban for President Buhari’s approval of the 368 grazing reserves in 25 states. We hope that no Igbo governor will sabotage this verdict, as it won’t go without sanctions.”
Also, the Coalition of Yoruba Self-determination Groups have called on the international community to hold the Federal Government responsible if anarchy breaks out in Nigeria over the approval of 368 grazing sites across 25 states of the federation. This was contained in a statement made available to The Guardian in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, yesterday, by the Secretary-General of the Coalition, Steve Abioye.
Abioye said the development is part of the agenda of Buhari-led administration to allow the Fulani dominate other parts of the country.
“They first started with cattle colony it was widely condemned, later they introduced RUGA, we said it was not proper, now the contention is about grazing route. Even if there will be anything of such, let it be restricted to the North. Our governors in the South have met and spoken, setting September as the takeoff of anti-open grazing law and we stand by them. The international community should hold the Federal Government responsible if this position eventually leads to anarchy in Nigeria.”
An Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Alberta, Joint Editor-in-Chief of African Security and Special Adviser on Police Act Review, Government of Alberta, Canada, Dr. Temitope Oriola, said the latest attempt by the Federal Government to reclaim cattle routes in modern-day Nigeria amid widespread rejection of open grazing contradicts common sense.
He said: “President Buhari’s move defies logic in many ways. First, it suggests he is prioritising the lives of cattle over human lives and wellbeing.”
Oriola also said such a move would complicate legislative and legal tussles, arm conflicts and secession agitations across the country.
“Second, he is heating up the polity at a period of existential threats to Nigeria from multiple quarters. In other words, he is creating further divisions in Nigeria. Third, the move has negligible positive impact on agriculture in the 21st century given the obsolescence of transhumance.”
Another academic, a grain-breeding specialist at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ibadan, Prof. Samuel Olakojo, said the Federal Government should have consulted widely with traditional rulers and governors rather than issuing a directive to impose open grazing.
Olakojo listed reasons open grazing is unacceptable as “the Federal Government has no land in any state. Two, the law gives right to control land to governors. Third, these same governors have enacted laws against open grazing. Four, cattle rearing is a private business like crop farming: operators of such a business should buy land for that purpose from family or community willing to sell.”
He added that while other players in agribusiness were taking loans from banks, the government wants to use public resources for private businesses of a particular set of people, asking, “Where is equity in this matter?”
Implications on agriculture, he said, would include hunger, high level of unemployment, lower contribution of the sector to GDP, crashed economy and food insecurity of Nigeria would be aggravated.
“Further implication is that Nigeria will continue to import food crops for which it has comparative advantage to produce, thereby depleting the foreign reserves. Anarchy appears looming in the nation, where youths have no jobs, masses have no food to eat, insecurity is becoming a big challenge and our currency is again losing strength daily,” Olakojo added.
The Guardian
For Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, Monday was supposed to be another routine day of duty. Instead, the Nigerian Air Force pilot lost his life in the crash of an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State, barely 16 days after his wedding.
Man-Ugwueje had married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle on September 19, 2026, in an elaborate ceremony in Abuja.
The couple exchanged vows at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Masters Place, Utako, Abuja, before proceeding to the Nigerian Army Conference Centre, Asokoro, for the reception.
Details of the wedding were contained in the couple’s invitation and posts shared by vendors who participated in the ceremony. A videographer, Beejay Creates, also shared footage from the event, identifying the couple as bride Damilola and groom Ahamefule.
Man-Ugwueje, who was identified by the Nigerian Air Force as the co-pilot of the ill-fated aircraft, was among the five crew members and 20 passengers who died in the crash.
The aircraft, NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday confirmed that all 25 people on board died in the accident and released the names of the victims.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation, while commiserating with the families, friends and colleagues of the victims.
The Air Force also ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Man-Ugwueje, whose Facebook profile listed Umuahia, Abia State, as his hometown and Abuja as his current city, was the son of retired Group Captain Man-Ugwueje.
Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said no survivor was found after security agencies, emergency responders and local residents joined the search for victims at the crash site.
Aiyedatiwa said he was informed of the crash at about 10:30am on Monday after receiving a call from the chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area.
According to the governor, residents across the river from the Nigerian Navy base in Igbokoda heard a loud sound and subsequently saw the aircraft plunge into the swamp.
He said Navy personnel initially exercised caution while trying to determine whether there was a fire or explosion before moving towards the crash site.
“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people,” the governor said.
Personnel of the local emergency management agency, residents and members of the Amotekun Corps later joined the rescue operation.
However, the search ended in tragedy after authorities confirmed that there were no survivors.
A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos crashed into a swamp in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday after reportedly disappearing from radar shortly after take-off.
The aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, lost communication with air traffic controllers at about 9:13am. A senior air traffic controller, who spoke anonymously, said repeated attempts to re-establish contact with the aircraft failed.
According to the source, personnel around Okitipupa later reported hearing a loud bang suspected to have come from the crash site.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that the aircraft had disappeared from radar and that all efforts to raise it on radio were unsuccessful.
He later announced that the wreckage had been located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
Keyamo said 32 people—25 passengers and seven crew members—were on board.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed the crash, saying the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos and that search-and-rescue operations had commenced in coordination with relevant authorities.
The crash site, located in a swampy creek, proved difficult to access, with military personnel, emergency responders and local fishermen joining the rescue operation.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said no survivor had been found as of Monday evening, although the authorities had yet to officially announce a death toll.
The governor said rescuers recovered parts of the aircraft, identification cards and military uniforms from the site.
President Bola Tinubu expressed sadness over the incident and directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage, flight path, weather conditions, maintenance records and air traffic control communications. Efforts were also being made to recover the aircraft’s flight recorder, which could provide crucial information about its final moments.
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has disclosed that no survivor has so far been found following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa made this known during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, saying local residents, security personnel and emergency responders had searched the crash site without finding anyone alive.
The governor said he received information about the incident at about 10:30am after the chairman of the local government contacted him.
According to him, residents living across the river from the Nigerian Navy base in Igbokoda heard a loud sound and subsequently saw the aircraft plunge into a swampy area.
He explained that personnel of the Nigerian Navy initially stayed back to determine whether the crash had triggered a fire or explosion before proceeding to the site.
“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He added that officials of the state emergency management agency, local residents and personnel of the Amotekun Corps later joined the search and rescue operation.
“But from the information we got, no single life was saved up to this moment. They could not see any living soul that was in that aircraft,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa said searchers recovered parts of the aircraft, including pieces of the wings, identification cards and military uniforms, which helped establish that the aircraft was a military plane.
“But they saw the ruins, some of the wreckage from the wings of the aircraft, you know, some ID cards, I was told, and then uniform. That was when they knew it was a military aircraft,” he said.
The governor described the incident as a painful development, noting that the crash occurred not only in Ondo State but also in his home local government area.
“So it’s a sad situation today. And we’re all really, really agreed as a Nigerian. And also it happens in my own state, not just my state, even in my own local government where I’m from,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa expressed sympathy for the military personnel involved, describing them as officers assigned to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Air Force had earlier confirmed that an ATR-42 aircraft with tail number NGR 931 crashed in Igbokoda while on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board the aircraft.
The Nigerian Air Force said search and rescue operations were ongoing following the crash.
“If You Have Evidence Against Stanley Mbam, Charge Him; Otherwise, Release Him” — Oganiru Izzi
A socio-cultural organisation of Izzi extraction, Oganiru Izzi, has challenged Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to either release the state’s sacked Commissioner for Works, Mr Stanley Mbam, or charge him before a competent court if the government has credible evidence of wrongdoing against him.
The group said the continued detention of the former commissioner without a formal charge raises concerns about due process, constitutional rights and the rule of law.
The leader of Oganiru Izzi, Mr Godwin Mbam, made the demand while speaking with correspondents of National Issue Newspapers at the Crack Department of the Ebonyi State Police Command in Abakaliki.
Mbam condemned what he described as the prolonged detention of Stanley Mbam without allowing a court to determine whether he had committed any offence.
He challenged the state government to produce evidence if it believes the former commissioner committed a criminal offence.
“If there is credible evidence against him, charge him to court and let the court decide. If there is no case against him, he should be released,” Mbam said.
He also appealed to the Ebonyi State Police Command to uphold the Constitution and resist any pressure that could result in unlawful detention.
Vanco Flyover: “We Will Reveal the Full Details”
Mbam also issued a three-day challenge to Governor Nwifuru, declaring that if the former commissioner was not released or charged to court, his organisation would make public what it described as the “full details” of the Vanco Flyover project.
According to him, the proposed disclosure would address issues surrounding the project, including its funding, payments, contractual arrangements and other financial details.
“We will let the world know the full details of the Vanco Flyover and how the funds were utilised,” he warned.
He further challenged the state government to demonstrate transparency by making relevant documents concerning the project available to the public.
“What About the Alleged ₦1.5 Billion Forfeiture?”
The Izzi group also questioned what it described as the selective application of the state government’s anti-corruption campaign.
Mbam referred to allegations involving an account reportedly frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and an alleged ₦1.5 billion forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He questioned why, according to him, the governor had allegedly not taken similar action if the facts surrounding the matter warranted it.
Mbam stressed that he was not opposed to the fight against corruption but insisted that any anti-corruption campaign must be comprehensive, transparent and applied equally.
“If Governor Nwifuru wants to fight corruption, let him fight it holistically. Nobody should be targeted while other serious allegations are ignored,” he said.
“If Nwifuru Says He Knows Nothing, We Will Produce the Facts”
Mbam further challenged Governor Nwifuru to publicly state whether he was aware of alleged corruption issues within the Ministry of Works.
“If Nwifuru publicly claims that he is unaware of corruption in the Works Ministry, I will make public the facts available to me. The facts will shock the state,” he declared.
He insisted that the matter should not degenerate into a political vendetta, arguing that the appropriate place to determine criminal liability is a court of law.
According to him, the people of Ebonyi State deserve clear answers concerning the Vanco Flyover and other issues involving public funds.
“Everybody Should Be Subject to the Law”
The Oganiru Izzi leader maintained that the controversy should be resolved through transparency, documentary evidence and due process.
“If there is a case, charge him. If there is no case, release him. The government cannot claim to be fighting corruption while abandoning the principles of justice and the rule of law,” he said.
Mbam warned that failure to address the issues could compel the organisation to make further disclosures concerning the Vanco Flyover and other matters it considers to be in the public interest.
By Our Correspondent
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th Independence Anniversary, the candidate for the House of Representatives seat representing the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Hon. Chief Kevin Tobias Chukwu, has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to building a better country.
Chukwu, also known as Ochiri Ozua 1 of Amagu Ikwo, made the call in an Independence Day message to Nigerians, particularly the people of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency and Ebonyi State.
He described the anniversary as not only a moment for celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the state of the nation and the responsibilities of leaders in building a Nigeria that meets the aspirations of its citizens.
According to him, Nigeria’s journey since independence has been marked by significant challenges, with millions of citizens currently facing economic hardship, while young people continue to search for opportunities and many communities contend with insecurity and uncertainty.
Despite these challenges, the Ebonyi politician said the resilience of Nigerians remained a source of hope for the country’s future.
“I believe in the resilience of our people. I believe in the ingenuity of our youths, the strength of our women, the wisdom of our elders and the determination of ordinary Nigerians who wake up every morning and refuse to give up on this country,” he said.
Chukwu, however, stressed that hope must be matched by responsible leadership, arguing that public office should be viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
He called for leadership that prioritises the protection of lives, creation of economic opportunities, provision of infrastructure, strengthening of institutions and responsible management of national resources.
The candidate also emphasised the need to create an environment where young Nigerians can pursue successful lives within the country and where hard work, merit and enterprise are rewarded.
He said Nigeria had “come too far to surrender to hopelessness,” urging citizens and leaders alike to remain committed to the country’s progress.
“A better Nigeria is still possible, but it will require responsible leadership, accountable institutions and citizens who refuse to give up on their country,” he said.
Chukwu concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, declaring: “Nigeria will rise. Nigeria must rise. And together, we must build the Nigeria we deserve.”
He also paid tribute to the nation’s past heroes, praying that their sacrifices would continue to inspire the country.
“May the labour of our heroes past never be in vain,” he said, as he wished Nigerians a happy 66th Independence Anniversary.
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