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You can’t seize our land in the name of ranching- Middle Belt, southern leaders warn FG
Plan by the federal government to establish ranches for cows and other animals for herders action Nigeria, has again received strong resistance from leaders of middle belt and southern party’s of the country who expressed fears that the agenda is a disguise to grab land.
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), therefore rejected the proposed pilot scheme for a new national livestock policy, alleging that the initiative could lead to the takeover of ancestral lands belonging to communities across the Middle Belt.
The statement was signed by Leader of Afenifere and Chairman of the SMBLF, Oba Oladipo Olaitan; President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu; President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata; and the National Chairman of PANDEF, Ambassador Godknows Igali.
They described the proposed scheme as opaque, coercive and discriminatory.
The SMBLF said the proposed pilot areas included Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Taraba and the Federal Capital Territory, expressing concern that the initiative was being concentrated largely in the Middle Belt despite the availability of vast expanses of sparsely populated land in other parts of the country.
The leaders warned that allowing the proposed scheme to proceed without adequate consultation and protection of community land rights could eventually lead to its expansion to the Southern states.
The forum stressed that it was not opposed to modern livestock production, ranching or the development of Nigeria’s livestock value chain, but insisted that any such policy must respect the rights of indigenous communities and should not be designed to favour a particular ethnic group. JoinDiaspora Networks
“The SMBLF is not opposed to modern livestock production, ranching or the development of the livestock value chain. What we reject is the opaque, coercive and discriminatory manner in which this policy is being pursued,” the leaders said.
They declared their solidarity with the Middle Belt Forum, which had earlier rejected the proposed scheme, while urging communities and governments in the Southern states to remain vigilant against any attempt to extend the policy to their territories.
The SMBLF also challenged federal government’s interpretation of the Land Use Act of 1978, arguing that the legislation could not be used as a justification for arbitrary acquisition of community lands.
According to the forum, the law recognised customary rights of occupancy and permitted revocation of land rights only in accordance with the law and for overriding public interest.
It argued that ranching was essentially an economic enterprise that could be privately driven, warning that government must not disguise compulsory acquisition of land for specific economic interests as public interest.
The leaders further alleged that the proposed policy could be an attempt to establish permanent settlement zones for nomadic Fulani herders in areas where violent clashes between herders and farming communities had occurred over the years.
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World’s youngest reigning king dies at 35
Oyo Nyimba Babamba Oguru Kulidi IV, a traditional Ugandan ruler named as the world’s youngest monarch has died aged 34, his prime minster announced.
He became king of Tooro in western Uganda at just three years old in 1995 after the death of his father.
The Tooro kingdom did not disclose the cause of King Oyo’s death, but a Ugandan government minister was quoted in local media saying that he had been critically ill and was seeking treatment in the US.
Though Uganda is governed by an elected president and parliament, it has several traditional kingdoms which continue to have significant cultural influence despite not having political power.
Oyo, who Guinness World Records listed as the world’s youngest reigning monarch, ruled over more than two million people. He was the 13th monarch of a kingdom that was founded in the early 19th Century.
Announcing his death, Tooro’s Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki called his passing on Thursday an “immeasurable loss” to the royal family and the people of Tooro.
“I call upon all the people of Tooro to remain united, calm and prayerful during this profoundly difficult time,” Akiiki said on Friday. “May His Majesty the King rest in eternal peace.”
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Danger alert: 14 days of massive flooding in 19 states, FCT
The rainy season enters its peak period within end of August and September, the Nigrrian Government has warned that 915 communities across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory are at critical risk of flooding between August 27 and September 9, 2026, urging residents in the affected areas to take immediate precautionary measures and prepare for possible evacuation.
The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre classified 915 communities across the affected areas as being at critical flood risk, requiring immediate watch, preparedness and protective action.
Another 429 communities in seven states were classified as high risk, while 656 communities across 13 states were placed on moderate-risk watch.
The critical-risk states are Kogi, Benue, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.
Major cities and communities listed include Lokoja, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Yenagoa, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan.
The federal government attributed the projected flood risk to a combination of high soil moisture, rainfall, rapid surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels.
In the advisory signed by the Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, the government urged residents in critical-risk areas to maintain immediate flood watch and verify evacuation routes.
It also advised residents to protect vulnerable households and essential property, and to avoid settlement, parking, trading, or storage activities within floodplains, wetlands, riverbanks, and low-lying drainage corridors.
The government directed state emergency management agencies, environmental officers and community flood focal persons to intensify surveillance around rivers, streams, culverts, bridges, drains, estuaries, reservoirs and erosion-prone corridors.
Communities classified as high risk in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba and Kebbi states were advised to intensify drainage clearance and monitor culverts and watercourses.
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FAAN restores bolt operations at airports following Keyamo’s intervention
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has lifted its restriction on Bolt operations at airports.
The reversal followed a directive from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who intervened after passengers and social media users raised concerns about the disruption.
In a post on his X handle, Keyamo said, “Following my directive to FAAN to urgently address the issue of exorbitant taxi fare increases at our airports, the issue has been resolved as follows.”
FAAN announced the decision in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and made available to our correspondent on Thursday.
According to the statement, the resolution followed constructive engagements between FAAN and Bolt, resulting in an agreeable operational framework for the e-hailing company to operate at FAAN-managed airports.
“The Authority is therefore pleased to announce that, following constructive engagements, FAAN and Bolt have reached an agreeable operational framework and Bolt is cleared to commence its services at FAAN-managed airports immediately.”
The development came after concerns over the management of commercial and e-hailing vehicles at airports, with FAAN noting that it had been working for nearly a decade to address challenges associated with the operations of such vehicles.
The Authority said the challenges included passenger solicitation and touting, unregulated operations, random pick-ups, as well as safety, security and accountability concerns.
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