Benue Civil Society groups have rejected any attempt to establish ranches in the state without broad consultation with the people, respect for existing laws and the resolution of the insecurity and humanitarian crisis that has displaced hundreds of thousands of residents.

Chairman of Benue Network of NGOs (BENGONET), Mr Lazarus Mom, at a press conference, on Tuesday, said they were not opposed to lawful agricultural development, livestock production, private investment or modern farming practices capable of promoting peace, food security and economic growth.

Mom, who spoke through the Vice Chairman, Daniel Seer, however, warned against any attempt to impose ranching on Benue communities without due process, adequate consultation and respect for the rights of landowners and lawful occupants.

According to the him, the immediate priority of government should be the security, protection of lives and property, as well as the safe, dignified and sustainable return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to their ancestral communities.

The group said more than 500,000 Benue residents had been displaced by violent attacks since 2017, leaving many families in IDP camps or other forms of displacement and unable to return to their homes, farms and sources of livelihood.

They argued that discussions on ranching should not take precedence over the rebuilding of communities destroyed by attacks and the rehabilitation of victims, stressing that displaced persons should not be treated as secondary considerations in any policy on land and livestock production.

The groups also called for broad and genuine consultation with affected communities, landowners, traditional institutions, farmers’ associations, women and youth groups, civil society organisations, local governments and other stakeholders before any ranching programme is implemented.

They further maintained that Benue already has the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, insisting that any individual, organization, company or government institution seeking to establish a ranch in the state must comply with the law and other applicable legal provisions.

They said no land should be acquired, allocated or designated for ranching without lawful authority, transparency, due process and respect for the rights and interests of affected communities, adding that the Benue State Government must be fully involved in decisions concerning land within the state.

The groups therefore called on the Federal and Benue State Governments to prioritize security, resettle displaced persons, rebuild destroyed communities and ensure that any future ranching initiative is people-centred, lawful and based on meaningful consultation.

The group declared that “The people must come first. Security must come first. The displaced must be resettled. The law must be respected.” (The Sun)