Natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the aegis of the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) have demanded full disclosure from the federal government on the rationale, scope and legal framework of any proposed ranching programme in Abuja.
The natives also sought clarification on how the initiative would affect the land rights, livelihoods, security and ancestral communities of the nation’s capital original inhabitants.
At a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, AOIYEO executive director, Commandant Isaac David, said any decision to establish ranching facilities in the FCT must be subjected to broad consultations and should take into account the historical circumstances surrounding the creation of Abuja as Nigeria’s capital.
David recalled that the relocation of the federal capital from Lagos to Abuja was primarily aimed at creating a centrally located capital for governance, administration and national unity, rather than establishing ranching settlements.
“It is important to place this conversation in proper historical context. The relocation of the Federal Capital City (FCC), from Lagos to Abuja was not conceived for the purpose of establishing ranching settlements.
“The purpose was to build a neutral, centrally located Federal Capital City for governance, administration and the unity of Nigeria,” he said.
He therefore questioned how and when the Federal Government arrived at the decision to introduce a ranching programme in the FCT, urging the authorities to make the policy process transparent.
“The question now is: how, where and when did the Federal Government arrive at the decision to introduce a ranching programme in the FCT?” he asked.
David argued that if the government had developed a structured policy and support system for ranching activities, it should equally provide a comprehensive development framework for the original inhabitants and other residents of the FCT.
He said indigenous communities had over the years borne substantial social, economic and environmental consequences arising from relocation, displacement and rapid urban expansion following the establishment of the FCT.
According to him, the original inhabitants had customary claims over the lands incorporated into the FCT and had made significant sacrifices for the establishment and development of the nation’s capital.
“As the original inhabitants who still hold customary rights of ownership over the 8,000 square kilometres of land that constituted the FCC/FCT, upon which the Federal Capital was built, Abuja Original Inhabitants have borne the social, economic and environmental costs of relocation, displacement and urban expansion for decades,” he said.
The AOIYEO leader said any new Federal Government initiative involving land and agriculture in the FCT must be anchored on transparency, equity and peaceful coexistence.
On transparency, he demanded that the government disclose the origin of the ranching proposal and clarify whether consultations had taken place with traditional rulers, community leaders, political stakeholders and other relevant groups in the territory.
He also demanded details of measures to protect land rights and livelihoods, including compensation and resettlement arrangements for communities that could be affected by the proposed programme.
