Chidi Samuel || President Muhammadu Buhari has reminded Nigerians that he does not have the constitutional power to create cattle colonies across the country.
The president said the Land Use Act of 1978 empowers only state governors and local government chairmen to control land in their domains.
President Buhari stated this over the weekend at the south-south zonal meeting of the National Committee of the Buhari Support Groups (NCBSG) in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
He was represented at the event by his special adviser on national assembly matters, Senator Ita Enang.
The President said, “When Nigeria became four regions, we had cattle routes in each of the regions.”
“When Nigeria created states, each of the states made laws to regulate rearing of animals. In 1978, under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as head of state, the Land Use Act was made.
“Under the Land Use Act, the President of Nigeria has power to control lands in Abuja only.”
The federal government had proposed the establishment of cattle colonies to curb the increasing cases of clashes between farmers and herdsmen.
The proposal has, however, been rejected by the vast majority of Nigerians in the South and Middle Belt states.
So far only sixteen states in the north have made land available to the federal ministry of agriculture for the project.
Most of the remaining twenty states said they have no land for the initiative.