Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has declared that no ranching project will be established in the state without the consent of the people and his administration.
Alia made the position known on Monday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas, which make up the Sankera political bloc.
The governor, who is currently on a statewide tour following his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 governorship election, said his administration would not permit the takeover of ancestral lands under the guise of ranching.
“Nobody will force us to cede even an inch of our land to the pastoralist for any purpose,” Alia said, stressing that such a development would not happen during his tenure as governor.
His position comes amid discussions over the Federal Government’s ranching policy and the inclusion of Benue among states being considered for the implementation of the initiative.
On security, Alia announced plans to establish three military operational units in the Sankera area to strengthen security and improve responses to threats.
According to him, the units will be located in Agu, Katsina-Ala; Anyiin, Logo; and Azendeshi, Ukum.
He also disclosed that 30 motorcycles would be provided to security agencies operating in the area to facilitate patrols and enable quicker responses to distress calls.
The governor further announced plans for the construction of a new dam with an estimated capacity of 460 megawatts.
He said the project would provide water and support electricity generation in the state.
The town hall meeting formed part of Alia’s ongoing engagement with stakeholders across Benue’s 11 federal constituencies as part of his statewide tour.
