From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A coalition of Forum of Youth Organizations in the Middle Belt Region has warned that aside ranching, no single land within the Middle Belt will be made available for any fictitious agricultural policy of the federal government.
The youths also vowed never to surrender their land to foreign armed herdsmen whom they noted are out to forcefully take over their ancestral lands.
“We will never let our leaders down by surrendering our land to the foreign armed herders and betray the struggle that’s embarked upon by our leaders to secure our ancestral homes for generations.
“No single land within the Middle Belt will be made available for any fictitious agricultural policy of the federal government except ranching which is the global best practice of rearing animals.
President, Benue Youth Forum and Coodinator, Forum of Middle Belt Youth Presidents, Terrence Kuanum stated this at a press conference in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Monday.
He noted that in a few days to come, the leadership of youth organizations within the Middle Belt would embark on an aggressive sensitization campaign to enlighten the people on the need to ignore all fake Agricultural policies put in place by the federal government with the sole aim of grabbing land for the Fulani people whom they themselves claimed are foreign herders.
“Recent revelations by the Emir of Muri have exposed the huge danger that has engulfed our people. The Emir’s confessional statement confirms the fact that indeed, there are foreign Fulanis wielding sophisticated weapons brought by some powers to occupy Nigeria’s forests in the bid to take over the country.
“We expected that arrests would have been made by now and the said Emir should have been taken in for thorough investigation.
The youths lamented that the presidency which had been quick in responding to any aggression extended to the armed foreign herders has been on several occasions called upon to rise up in a similar fashion to defend Nigerians to no avail.
“The decision of President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet to remain mute has always left Nigerians wondering if the President was elected to defend foreign herders and not Nigerians.
“Once again, we commend the efforts made by Nigerians to appreciate the boldness of Governor Ortom who has sacrificed the comfort of his office and dammed threats to his life to stand firmly and tall that we must get justice and our human rights must be protected in our own country where foreigners armed herders are being given an open ticket to push us out and take over our ancestral homes.
“We pledge our unflinching loyalty and support to Governor Samuel Ortom and his administration. Nigeria is the only country we have and it is therefore our right to make it work for generations to come.
“Lastly, we urge the Federal Government to tender a public apology to Governor Samuel Ortom for the unwarranted media attacks on his person. Now that the entire country has embraced ranching and the Buhari administration has already begun to establish ranches in some states, the Governor deserves apology,” the youths concluded.