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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
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
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