The Presidency, yesterday, charged those against the administration’s ranching and colony programmes for herdsmen, to rethink, noting that they are better off living with the ranches and colonies than dying through the persisting conflicts.
Vanguardngr reports that the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, while speaking on an AIT morning programme in response to a question on ancestral attachments to land said: “Ancestral attachment?
You can only have ancestral attachment when you are alive. If you are talking about ancestral attachment if you are dead, how does the attachment matter?“
Adesina, who said it was wrong to describe the attacks against farmers as one directed against Christians, gave the admonishment as he alleged a conspiracy by alleged critics of the administration to frustrate moves towards resolving the crises in the country.
He said: “Hundreds have been killed in Zamfara, are they Christians? People have been killed in Birnin Gwari, are they Christians? What is happening is criminality, pure and simple, and it must be brought to an end.
The government has a big role to play in this but the people themselves have a role to play. Some people are saying don’t use government money to build ranches.
If truly they don’t have lands, that is fine, but remember that Kogi State offered 15,000 hectares of land for cattle colony and in the midst of that offer vicious attacks were unleashed.
In Plateau State, where we had the recent orgy of killings, the government has offered land for ranchers and I tell you that some people are interested in this thing not being resolved.
The National Economic Council that recommended ranching didn’t just legislate it, there were recommendations. So, if your state genuinely does not have land for ranching, it is understandable.
But where you have land and you can do something, please do for peace. What will the land be used for if those who own it are dead at the end of the day?” Adesina further said the administration is doing its best to ensure peace throughout the country.
