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We ‘re Not Against Ranching But…- Herders

Published

3 years ago

February 1, 2023

The Coalition of Pastoralists Association of Nigeria (CPAN), an umbrella organisation of pastoralists groups in Nigeria, yesterday, said that herders in the country were in support of ranching, as against open grazing has given rise to incessant conflicts between them and crop farmers.

Leaders of the CPAN led by Baba Othman Ngelzarma, President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) made their position known at a press conference in Abuja.

He explained, however, that the federal government needed to do more in fine-tuning the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) by incorporating herders’ associations and intensive sensitization campaigns to educate the nomadic Fulani on the advantages of ranching.

His words, “We are not opposed to ranching. When people talk about cattle herders settling down, the question is what kind of settlement? You have to understand their culture and their movement for pastures.

“There hasn’t been any attempt by anybody to let them know the modern way of cattle rearing. These are people who see what they do as their lives. They are not interested in the quality of the cattle. They only want the quantity, the number of their cows. It is not their fault because that is all they know. This is a multi-trillion Naira business that is left in the hands of untrained people. The herders are untrained, the dealers, the transporters and the processors are all untrained.”

The MACBAN President said, “Ranching is capital intensive. Some of these pastoralists have very few cows and cannot afford what it takes to operate a ranch which requires large sums of money to buy land, buy feed, provide water and all that are necessary to operate a successful ranch.”

He blamed state governments that enacted anti-open grazing laws without providing alternatives for the herders, as according to him, such laws have not solved the problems.

Alh. Ngelzarma said that CPAN’s main objective was the promotion of peace and enhancing the welfare of its members in the country.

He said that those killed in a recent airstrike in Doma Local Government Area of Nassarawa State were not bandits or cattle rustlers, describing the incident as, “a recipe for genocide.”

The president blamed the mass movement of cattle rearers from the North to Southern Nigeria on climate change.

“Acoording to him, “To start with, we all know that global warming is a reality and it has affected the Lake Chad massively, forcing our people to move down south in search of water and food for our livestock.

“While the Nigerian government has not lifted any finger to recharge the Lake Chad and make it habitable for our people, it has watched on helplessly as different communities and state governments across the North Central and Southern parts of the country treat the Fulani as irritants or second class citizens who have no right to live or who do not deserve to have a source of living.

“The state governments formulate obnoxious laws targeted at chasing our people away. They ban open grazing without providing infrastructure for alternatives. They therefore seize our cows and arrest out people recklessly, fine them unreasonable amounts and everyone is watching as if all is well.

“We are not happy as our businesses are suffering massively from the conspiracy of the government and other Nigerians.

“The Fulani have been the target of stereotypes, ethnic cleansing and mass murder in almost all states of the Federation. From Zamfara in the North-West to Adamawa, Taraba in the North-East, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa in the North-Central, down to Ondo and Oyo in the South-West, or worse still the South-Eastern states, the Fulani people have been a subject of hatred, annihilation for unjustifiable reasons.”

VANGUARD

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

9 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

9 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

9 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.