Leaders from the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) reject the Federal Government’s proposed cattle ranching scheme, saying it would involve compulsory acquisition of community lands. They warn against imposing a livestock policy on communities without their consent.
The forum frames the plan as an “audacious attempt” to take over lands in the Middle Belt and parts of the South under a pilot scheme tied to a New National Livestock Policy. The leaders say their communities would not accept the arrangement and call for transparency around land acquisition, land ownership, and who would benefit from any implementation. They also urge the federal government not to proceed with what they describe as forced allocation of community resources.
While both outlets report the same position from SMBLF, they emphasize slightly different wording and concerns. Vanguard highlights demands for clarity on acquisition and beneficiaries, while Daily Post focuses on the forum’s insistence that the Middle Belt and South will not accept the proposed takeover of ethnic communities’ lands.
