Herdsmen of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, have reacted to the news of the suspension of Ruga settlement by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reacting to the news of the suspension, MACBAN president, Abdullahi Bodejo stated that it was a blessing because they do not need Ruga settlement.
“We don’t need Ruga settlements. Every Fulani man in Nigeria has a Ruga. The entire scheme is political because even the Fulani leaders and traditional rulers were not consulted,” Mr Bodejo was quoted by Leadership newspaper as saying.
“What we need is a return to our grazing areas. Facilities should be provided in them so that the herders can graze their cattle because the Ruga issue is political and does not help the Fulanis in the country.
“We support him (the president) because the
Meanwhile, Northern youths under the umbrella of Coalition of Northern Group, CNG, have given the Federal Government a 30-day ultimatum to implement Ruga settlement in all 36 states of the federation.
In a statement issued by the group’s spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the Northern youths berated vice president Yemi Osinbajo for dissociating himself from the plan for Ruga settlement. They also berated other leaders who spoke vehemently against it.
Ruga settlement is an initiative of the Buhari-led administration which sees it as a solution to the Farmer-herders crisis. It already had 1 pilot states and proposed to be established in 36 states of the federation including the FCT.