Makurdi, Benue State – Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has firmly declared that no portion of the state’s land will be ceded to herders or pastoralists for ranching or any other purpose without the consent of his administration and the people of Benue.
Speaking during a town hall meeting with stakeholders from the Sankera bloc—comprising Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo local government areas—Alia made the position clear amid renewed concerns over the Federal Government’s pilot ranching policy, which included Benue in its first phase.
“Nobody will force us to cede even an inch of our land to the pastoralist for any purpose. If that must happen, I can assure you, it will not be this time that I am still the Governor of Benue State,” Alia said.
The governor’s statement comes against the backdrop of Benue’s longstanding Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017, which bans open grazing, and ongoing debates about ranching as a potential solution to recurring farmer-herder conflicts in the state.
Socio-cultural groups representing the Tiv, Idoma, and Igede peoples have also opposed the inclusion of Benue in the federal pilot programme without local consent, arguing that displaced residents must first be safely returned to their ancestral homes.
Alia, who is currently on a statewide thank-you tour of All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders following his emergence as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election, reiterated his administration’s determination to protect the lives, property, and ancestral lands of Benue communities.
He also addressed stakeholders from the Kwande/Ushongo (Jechira) federal constituency as part of the engagements organised around the state’s 11 federal constituencies.
On security, the governor announced the deployment of three military operational units to strategic locations in the Sankera axis to strengthen protection in the area. The units will be stationed at Agu in Katsina-Ala, Anyiin in Logo, and Azendeshi in Ukum. He further pledged the donation of 30 motorcycles to security agencies to improve patrols and rapid response capabilities.
Alia expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for measures reinforcing Benue’s security architecture, particularly the establishment and siting of the Nigerian Army 5 Division in the state. He assured traditional rulers of continued partnership in promoting peace, settling disputes, and mobilising communities for development.
The Tor Sankera, His Royal Highness David Sevav, welcomed the governor and appealed for intensified efforts to restore absolute peace in the axis, the rehabilitation of local waterworks, and greater consideration for Sankera indigenes in government appointments.
In addition to security commitments, Alia disclosed plans for a new dam project with a projected capacity of 460 megawatts, which he said would provide water and support electricity generation across the state.
The governor’s firm stance on land use reflects the sensitive history of farmer-herder clashes in Benue, a major agricultural hub often called Nigeria’s “food basket.”
While the Federal Government has promoted modern ranching and livestock development as a path to reducing open-grazing pressures and transforming the sector into an economic asset, state authorities and community leaders have insisted that any such initiatives must respect local laws, consent, and the priority of resettling internally displaced persons.
Alia maintained that his administration remains committed to defeating insecurity and safeguarding the territorial integrity of Benue, emphasising that development and peace must proceed with the full backing of the people.
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