The Plateau State Association United Kingdom (PSA UK) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the proposed National Ranching Policy, warning that continued emphasis on cattle‑focused agricultural reforms without meaningful community engagement risks worsening tensions and deepening mistrust across the Middle Belt.
In a detailed position signed by its President, Dr. Solomon Chollom, the diaspora group said successive administrations have pursued livestock‑driven policies under various names — cattle colonies, RUGA, ranching and livestock settlements — while failing to address the long‑standing fears of communities traumatised by years of violence, displacement and loss of ancestral lands.
PSA UK said communities in Plateau State and across the Middle Belt have endured “devastating cycles of violence” that have destroyed homes, farms and livelihoods, leaving thousands in internally displaced persons camps. Against this backdrop, the group argued, any policy involving land acquisition for cattle production “cannot be treated as a simple economic reform” but must be understood within the context of security, justice, rehabilitation and the right of displaced families to return home.
The association criticised what it described as government’s slow response to the pleas of displaced persons seeking reclamation of ancestral lands. It said it is troubling that while these humanitarian concerns remain unresolved, new livestock policies continue to be introduced with “aggressive urgency.”
According to PSA UK, democratic governance requires consultation, transparency and meaningful participation — not unilateral policy announcements. It warned that insisting on implementation without addressing community concerns risks portraying government as detached from the realities of affected populations.
The group also questioned the “overwhelming focus on cattle,” noting that Nigeria’s agricultural potential is far broader. It argued that sectors such as poultry, fisheries, crop production, potatoes, tubers, cereals and food processing have not received comparable levels of intervention, infrastructure or financing. A national agricultural strategy, it said, must be holistic and regionally sensitive, allowing communities to develop value chains aligned with their environment and expertise.
PSA UK further warned that government must avoid creating the impression of favouritism by allocating land and resources to one category of private enterprise while other farmers struggle without similar support. “Every Nigerian farmer deserves the opportunity to succeed,” the group said.
The association urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, to immediately suspend implementation of the ranching policy and embark on robust community engagement, rigorous policy analysis and transparent assessment of its social, economic and security implications.
It insisted that any policy with consequences for land, security and community relations must be preceded by direct engagement with affected communities, respect for constitutional and land rights, and clear plans for rehabilitation and return of displaced persons.
“Development without justice is not progress, and agriculture without inclusion is not sustainable,” PSA UK said, adding that no policy that ignores the fears and dignity of the people can bring lasting peace.
The group concluded by urging the Federal Government to “pause, listen, engage and review,” stressing that Nigeria needs policies that build trust rather than deepen existing wounds.
