Agriculture

Benue govt, APC trade tackle over herdsmen killings

Published

2 years ago

January 27, 2023

Benue govt, APC trade tackle over herdsmen killings

The Benue state government has alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state is colluding with armed herdsmen to unleash mayhem on the people.

The allegation came on the heels of Tuesday’s media outing by the state leadership of the APC which alleged among others that Governor Samuel Ortom was colluding with the Benue State Livestock Guards and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards to rustle cows of herders leading to reprisal attacks on Benue communities by the herders.

The APC Chairman, Austin Agada, who was flanked by the leaders and stakeholders of the party had alleged among others that “with the 2023 general elections around the corner, the Community Volunteer Guards have systematically embarked on cow rustling in Gwer-west, Makurdi and Guma Local Government Areas, LGAs, under the instruction of Governor Ortom with the attendant consequences of spontaneous Fulani militia killing of one person in Mbapa ward of Gwer-west LGA, eight persons in Makurdi on the January 19, 2023 and eight persons in Guma LGA on the January 20, 2023 all within the Ihyarev dominated communities.

“The prevailing atmosphere of politically induced insecurity in most parts of Benue State calls for the urgent concern of all Benue patriots. Available information indicates that on Wednesday 18″ January, 2023 over 600 herds of cattle were rustled in Sengev ward of Gwer-west LGA and kept at the Local Government Guest House at Naka, the objective was to trigger reprisal attacks against Gwer-West people by the herders. We roundly condemn this development and urge Governor Ortom to desist from spilling more blood.”

But reacting to the allegation Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Terver Akase noted that “by their outing, the APC in Benue State has left no one in doubt that they are working closely with those who invade communities of the state and attack innocent people. This is not the first time that leaders of the party have come out to take sides with killer herders. The APC in Benue State has often accused Benue people of attacking and killing themselves. Not too long ago, the sacked governorship candidate of the party re-echoed the accusation which the party’s leader first made four years ago absolving herdsmen of any responsibility in the series of attacks on Benue people.”

He alleged that the leader of the party in the state, Senator George Akume was behind the accusation against Governor Ortom saying “it was a tactical way of diverting attention from the removal of his puppet governorship candidate by the Court of Appeal.

“As far as the APC in Benue State is concerned, the lives of cows are more valuable than human lives. This is why in the said press statement, their emphasis was on cattle rustling as they frantically tried to justify why the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law should be reviewed to grant easy passage and access to Fulani herders with their animals to lands across the state. The APC’s line of reasoning resonates with the thinking of Fulani pastoralists such as Miyetti Allah who insist that until the law is repealed, they will not stop sponsoring attacks on the state.

“The APC in Benue State has again proven that it has no value for human lives, and as long as they get power, Benue can go up in flames. A political party that turns to accuse the people of the state it hopes to govern lacks humanity and the conscience to lead.

“APC has never condemned the genocide Fulani herders have visited on Benue State in nearly a decade. Leaders of the party are often quick to jump to the defense of the killer herders whenever people are attacked in parts of the state with the armed herders operating like a militia wing of the party.

“The opposition party has never shown empathy towards victims of the humanitarian crisis in the state. There is no evidence that they have taken relief materials to any of the IDP camps even once in the last five years. The only time a delegation of the party visited the camp located in Daudu was before the 2019 elections with the sole purpose of campaigning for votes.

“The timing of the APC press conference coming barely 24 hours after the Appeal Court judgment which nullified their phony governorship primary election was calculated to divert attention from the devastating situation that the party does not have a gubernatorial candidate at the moment. But we expected the APC to direct their frustration to the appropriate quarters, not on Governor Ortom. The Governor did not advise them to conduct what their appeal panel described as yahoo yahoo primary election and he was neither a member of the panel of justices that nullified the fraud called nomination.

“Though we cannot stop the APC in Benue from further conspiracy with enemies of the state, we must reiterate that their plans will always fail. The Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law and the Livestock Guards which the APC and their herder allies desperately want to see scrapped have come to stay. Anyone who wants to rear cattle in Benue State must do so within the confines of ranches and be prepared to face the long arm of the law in the event of any breaches.

“We reassure the people of the state that Governor Samuel Ortom remains committed to the security of his people and no amount of blackmail or smear campaign from the opposition can make him compromise.”

Agriculture

KWASU Microfinance Bank disburses loan to farmers

Published

3 weeks ago

March 28, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

KWASU Microfinance Bank disburses loan to farmers

The Kwara State University (KWASU) Microfinance Bank has provided loan facilities to farmer groups in and around Malete, Moro Local Government Area.

The Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, KWASU Microfinance Bank, Prof. Jimoh Shaykh-Luqman, announced this while presenting offer letters to the farmers’ associations at a formal event held on the university campus.

Addressing the farmers, the Vice-Chancellor, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Moshood Jimba, said the agricultural loan scheme aimed to support farmers in boosting food production and enhancing food sustainability.

“The loan is meant to support your farm operations, especially in the upcoming planting season,” he said.

Prof. Shaykh-Luqman reaffirmed KWASU’s commitment to its mantra of being a “University for Community Development,” leveraging its expertise and resources to initiate programmes that drive local development.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of KWASU Microfinance Bank, Alhaji Hakeem Hassan, noted that the agricultural loan scheme was piloted last year with 15 farmers as beneficiaries.

He added that the pilot scheme yielded positive results for both the farmers and the bank, as all beneficiaries successfully repaid their loans.

Following this success, he said, the scheme had been expanded to include more farmers under various farmers’ associations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the associations benefiting from the agricultural loan scheme include Alanu Agbelere Farmers Group, Agbedola Ketere Group, and Itesiwaju Agbe Group Omoni.

Others are Agbeloba Farmers Association (Malete Market), Agbeyewa Elemere Farmers Group, Agbe Olofeere Group, and Agbeloga Malete Farmers Group.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers, the Chairman of Agbeloba Farmers Association (Malete Market), Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrazaq, expressed gratitude to the university and the bank for their trust.

He pledged, on behalf of the beneficiaries, to utilise the loans effectively and ensure prompt repayment.

Agriculture

Kano Govt. implements N2.3bn livestock empowerment programme

Published

2 months ago

February 20, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

Gov Yusuf directs aides to declare their assets

The Kano State Government has begun implementing the second phase of its livestock empowerment programme valued at N2.3bn under the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP).

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Mamood Danjuma, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Kano.

Danjuma said the initiative aims to support beneficiaries with livestock, feeds, drugs, and salt lick to enhance their economic well-being.

According to him, 911 beneficiaries are being supported with two rams each, feed for three months, drugs and salt lick, while 2,386 women are being supported with two goats and a buck goat in the poorest households in the state.

He explained that the total package under the empowerment programme showed that 1,342 bulls were procured by the government at the cost of N560m, 1,822 rams were procured at the cost of N175m and 7,158 goats bought at the cost of N451m.

“Under the cattle scheme, each cattle gains 100kg over a period of 120 days. The fattening period is for 120 days, making three cycles possible in a year.

“As for the small ruminants fattening scheme, with the same 120-day fattening period yielding an extra 15kg/animal.

“The project promotes goats’ reproduction through women who will take care of the animals and sell the young ones to improve their income and standard of living,” he said.

He said that the programme promotes economic empowerment, particularly among women, by providing them with livestock to care for and sell, ultimately improving their income and standard of living.

Agriculture

Gov. Idris vows to sustain free fertiliser policy for farmers

Published

2 months ago

February 14, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

Gov. Idris vows to sustain free fertiliser policy for farmers

Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi, has vowed to sustain free distribution of fertilisers to farmers up to the end of his tenure.

The governor made the promise at Shanga Local Government Area while addressing party loyalists in continuation of his thank-you tour to Local Government Areas of the state.

He observed that sustaining the free distribution of fertilisers to farmers would boost the morale of farmers, increase food production and contribute to national food security.

Idris also pledged to sustain the payment of Hadaya (sacrificial ram) for intending pilgrims in his efforts to assist the pilgrims.

He thanked the people of Shanga for the support and cooperation they have been rendering to his administration.

Speaking on education, the governor said his government would continue to offer free education to the people of Kebbi to pave the way for an educated society.

He recalled that the state government had been providing N175 million monthly for secondary school students’ feeding but now increased it to N300 million per month.

Receiving those who dumped People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for All Progressives Congress (APC), the governor, assured them of equal treatment, insisting that the present administration was for the entire people of the state.

On requests of road construction linking villages in the area, Gov. Idris assured to fulfil the demands to ease movement of goods and people in the area.

In his speech, the APC Chairman in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Kana-Zuru assured the new members that they would be given equal treatment.

He urged the council chairman, commissioner and other political office holders to integrate the new members to give them a sense of belonging.

In a welcome address, Babangida Aliyu, the party Chairman, Shanga Local Government appreciated the governor for bringing development to their area in different sectors.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion also featured formal reception of about 8,000 PDP supporters including local government party exco, delegates and state assembly party candidate, Mustapha for 2019 and 2023 to ruling APC