FCT indigenous groups reject National Ranching Policy pilot

Indigenous groups in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have rejected the Federal Government’s decision to include the territory in the pilot implementation of the National Ranching Policy.

The Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) stated that establishing ranches in the FCT is inconsistent with the Abuja Master Plan and threatens the ancestral lands, farms, and livelihoods of local communities. Executive Director Commandant Isaac David argued that FCT land is designated for administrative and capital city purposes rather than ranching.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, previously identified the FCT as one of six locations for the pilot programme, alongside Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Adamawa states. The pilot is intended to serve as a proof of concept for a new ranching model.