Tinubu faces fresh livestock demands as Fulani groups seek ranches, probe of attacks

Fulani pastoralist organisations have called on President Bola Tinubu to allocate 30 percent of Nigeria’s agricultural budget to the Ministry of Livestock Development, establish pilot ranches across the six geopolitical zones and investigate alleged killings of pastoralists in several states.

The demands, presented by the Confederation of Pastoralist NGOs (CONPA) and the Kautal Pulaku Fulbe Association of Nigeria at an international press conference in Abuja on Sunday, have raised fresh questions about the funding, implementation and security priorities of the Federal Government’s livestock reform agenda.

The organisations argued that Nigeria’s livestock industry, which they valued at ₦30 trillion, required sustained public investment, infrastructure development and a coordinated national policy to unlock its economic potential and address persistent farmer-herder conflicts.

General Secretary of the association, Abdullahi Ardo, commended Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Livestock Development in 2024, describing the move as a response to decades of agitation for a dedicated government institution to oversee the sector.

However, he alleged that the ministry remained largely underfunded and lacked a clear operational framework capable of translating its mandate into measurable economic gains.

“Livestock is a N30 trillion economy. It cannot be treated with levity,” Ardo said.

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The organisations’ demands place the spotlight on how the government intends to finance livestock development, expand modern animal husbandry and reduce dependence on open grazing, which has contributed to recurring disputes between pastoralists and farming communities.

Budget demand raises funding questions

The proposal that 30 per cent of the agricultural budget should go to the livestock ministry would represent a substantial shift in public spending priorities.

The demand also raises questions about the ministry’s current budgetary allocation, its implementation capacity and the specific programmes that would receive additional funding.

The pastoralist groups want pilot ranches and fodder production facilities established across all six geopolitical zones, arguing that improved access to pasture and modern livestock infrastructure could support productivity and reduce pressure on farmland.

However, the success of such a programme would depend on land availability, financing arrangements, veterinary services, water infrastructure, market access and the willingness of pastoralists to adopt ranch-based systems.

The groups did not provide a detailed financing plan or implementation timetable for the proposed ranches in the demands presented.

Pastoralists demand investigation into alleged killings

Beyond economic concerns, the organisations called for investigations into reported killings of pastoralists in Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

Ardo alleged that hundreds of pastoralists, including women and children, had been killed, while cattle were rustled and settlements described as Rugas were burned.

The allegations were presented by the organisations and would require independent verification, including investigations into the incidents, casualty figures and circumstances surrounding the reported attacks.

Rejecting attempts to associate Fulani identity with criminality, Ardo said pastoralists should not be collectively blamed for the activities of armed groups.

“We are Nigerians. We are pastoralists. We are not bandits. We love this country. Our cattle feed this nation. Criminals are criminals and have no tribe,” he said.

The statement underscores a longstanding grievance among pastoralist communities that their security concerns and experiences of violence receive insufficient attention in national discussions about insecurity.

At the same time, farmer-herder violence has affected communities across several states, with civilians, farmers and pastoralists among those reported killed, displaced or deprived of their livelihoods.

National dialogue proposed to address crisis

The organisations also called for a national dialogue involving the Miyetti Allah associations, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and security agencies.

They argued that bringing the groups together could help address the underlying causes of farmer-herder conflicts and establish a framework for peaceful coexistence.

The groups attributed more than 20,000 deaths over a decade to the crisis, although the figure was not independently substantiated in the account of their press conference.

The proposed dialogue would need to address competing land-use demands, cattle rustling, attacks on farming communities, access to grazing resources, accountability for criminal activity and the enforcement of existing laws.

For the Tinubu administration, the demands present two connected policy challenges: ensuring that the new livestock ministry receives adequate resources to deliver its mandate and establishing a credible security and conflict-resolution framework that protects farming and pastoralist communities alike.

Whether the government adopts the proposed budget allocation, establishes the requested ranches or initiates the suggested national dialogue remains unclear.

The response could help determine whether the creation of the livestock ministry translates into tangible reforms or remains primarily an institutional change without sufficient funding and implementation capacity.