Herdsmen to pay for grazing reserves - Osinbajo assures Nigerians

- The vice president has said that the federal government lacked powers to seize lands from state for grazing reserves

- Yemi Osinbajo said herdsmen will pay for the proposed grazing reserves

- He said some states, especially in the north, had duly gazetted grazing reserves

The vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, has assured Nigerians that contrary to reports that the federal government take care of grazing reserves, herdsmen across the country will pay for spaces for the livestock.

Osinbajo said the federal government lacked powers to seize land from states for the establishment of grazing reserves as widely speculated, Punch reports.

He said the herdsmen would pay for the services to be rendered by the proposed ranches or grazing reserves by the government.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day summit on national security organised by the Senate in Abuja, the vice president said some states, especially in the north, had duly gazetted grazing reserves.

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Osinbajo said a majority of these grazing reserves are degraded and without pasture or water, especially during the dry season.

“Let me reiterate that on no account will any land be seized or forcefully taken to create ranches or grazing areas. All insinuations to that effect should be disregarded. No one is giving land to herdsmen, as is being falsely alleged.

"Instead, it is in our view that states that are willing and have set aside land for development should cooperate with willing investors in commercially-viable, government-supported ranches or livestock production centres for commercial use.

"There is also a clear sense which I think must be appreciated, that the Federal Government cannot dictate to states what to do with their land. This is so because the Land Use Act of 1978 puts land under the control of governors on behalf of their states.

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"Also, the Supreme Court in the case of the Attorney General of Lagos State versus the Attorney General of the Federation in 2004, held that the use of land resources and permits for such use lie firmly in the hands of state governments. Even for use of federal lands in the states according to the Supreme Court, building or development control permit must be sought from the governors of the states," he said.

The vice president added that for the proposed grazing reserves to be effective and operate effectively they should be operated as ranches or livestock production centres on a commercial basis.

“The ranches will have adequate water from boreholes, salt points and pasture. The locations would serve both as forage points and centres for providing extension services to boost animal care, feeding and veterinary facilities, and even abattoirs. Because the ranches are commercial ventures, cattle owners will pay for their use.

“It is important to note that by and large, in consultation with stakeholders, all agree that where adequate provision is made on a commercial basis, there is no reason why there won’t be cooperation to use those ranches because there are both economic and social benefits for everyone, including herders," he noted.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that Osinbajo reacted to agitations for community policing in the country.

The vice president said community policing should be adopted to address communal clashes such as herdsmen killings in the country.

He also faulted the claims that President Buhari is shielding suspected killer herdsmen.

Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng