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Wednesday, 03 July 2019 13:07

Buhari bows to pressure, suspends Ruga settlement projects

Following public outcry over the Ruga Settlement Projects, an idea designed “to stem the tide of herdsmen/farmers clashes across the country,” President Muhammadu Buhari is said to have suspended the project until further notice. The president, after consultations with stakeholders, it was gathered, has resolved to put away the idea for a thorough review and well acceptable approach to the menace constituted to national security by the constant clashes between herdsmen and farmers. Thisday

Wednesday, 03 July 2019 05:04

Ruga: Buhari values cattle above Nigerians; he shouldn’t have won second term - Soyinka

Outrage trailing introduction of the Ruga settlements policy continued yesterday, with Nobel Laureate, Mr Wole Soyinka, saying it’s going to be an explosive issue, adding that the President ought to have lost the last elections on account of the “lackadaisical attitude which he took to the issue of cattle-rearers.” He also wondered if there was any society where cattle take priority over human beings. Soyinka, a special guest at the official launch of Solution 17 for Sustainable Development Goals , an initiative geared towards youth empowerment in Lagos yesterday, maintained that the practice of herders’ settlement across Nigeria was neither…

Wednesday, 03 July 2019 05:03

Wike rejects Ruga, says Rivers people should defend their lands

Rivers State Government has vowed not to participate in Federal Government’s Ruga settlements for herdsmen. The state government in a statement signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mrs Paulinus Nsirim, noted that the state has no land for the implementation of such a policy. It said the second term of Governor Nyesom Wike has prioritised commercial agriculture, hence all available arable land in the state will be needed to drive commercial agriculture across the state to create employment for Rivers youths. The state government emphasised that it has not given any approval for siting of Ruga settlements anywhere in…

Wednesday, 03 July 2019 05:02

Benue govt threatens to drag FG to Supreme Court over Ruga

Benue State Government yesterday disclosed its decision to approach the Supreme Court to stop Federal Government from going ahead with Ruga project in the state. Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr Terve Akase, who disclosed this while speaking on African Independent Television, AIT programme, Kaakaki said the government had contacted its lawyers to get their papers ready to begin the court process. He said: “Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Garba Shehu, came out to tell the world that Federal Government had gazetted land in all the 36 states. We came out quickly…

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:49

Nigerians so unhappy with country that many just want ‘to walk away’ - Obasanjo

Former President, Mr Olusegun Obasanjo raised the alarm, yesterday, that Nigeria is fast losing its identity over what he termed as “poor management of the nation’s diversity.” Obasanjo, who spoke at international conference organised at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, equally declared that many citizens are unhappy with Nigeria that they wish to walk away from the country. He noted that Nigeria could have ceased to exist if not for God’s grace and kindness. The conference, which had in attendance Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, had the theme: “Religion, the State and Global Politics.” While…

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:48

Killings getting out of hand in Nigeria - Sultan

Sultan of Sokoto, Mr Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged federal government to take proactive measures in order to end incessant killings across the country. He stated this yesterday at Sokoto State University while inaugurating the 180,000 litre- solar water treated plant built by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in collaboration with Belema Oil and donated to the university. He added that government had to do something before it got out of hand. The Sultan said he was worried how the security in the country was being politicised, “As a former military officer, who served this country for about 31 years,…

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:46

Ruga: Nobody is coming to take our land in Ekiti - Fayemi

Amid the controversy over federal government’s proposed Ruga Settlement, governor of Ekiti State, Mr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday assured that nobody coming from outside the state would be allowed to take over land from his people. He said non-indigenes wishing to do business in the state must respect the culture of the indigenous people and must pursue their interest in line with the law of the land. The governor gave the assurance when he paid a visit to people of Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area to commiserate with the community on the death of an indigene, Mr Emmanuel Ilori,…

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:45

We won’t cede Edo land to any outsider - Obaseki

Edo State Government has rejected the planned Ruga initiative by the federal government aimed at settling herders in parts of the country. The state said it has ”an elaborate plan for agricultural development across all its value chain both in crop production and animal husbandry”. This was contained in a statement by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, on Monday. The state government insisted that its agricultural plans have nothing to do with Ruga initiative. The statement noted: ”In all the agricultural programmes being executed by the Obaseki administration, safety, security and prosperity…

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:44

We’re for Ruga in Plateau, but we won’t call it by that name - Lalong

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has reacted to the controversy over the proposed Ruga Settlement, an initiative the federal government says will check insecurity arising from open animal grazing. The proposal, kickstarting in some northern states on a pilot phase, has sparked controversy with many Nigerians accusing the federal government of pushing a land grab policy. Some have also questioned why the government is funding and piloting an initiative that is effectively supposed to be a private business. Some state governments, including Benue and Edo, have rejected the planned Ruga Settlement. The South East and South South states have…

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:43

64 die scooping fuel from fallen petrol truck in Benue

A petroleum tanker accident in Ahumbe village along Alliade- Makurdi federal highway in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, yesterday claimed 60 lives with several others injured. An eyewitness, who identified himself as Austin, said the tanker was carrying fuel from the eastern part of the country, heading to Makurdi when it fell after a failed bid to dodge a pot hole. He explained that villagers went to scoop fuel when the tanker exploded, and caught fire, killing 64 persons and injuring several others. According to him, “his petrol tanker was loaded with fuel and travelling along…

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Tuesday, 02 July 2019 05:39

Riot police clear away protesters from Hong Kong legislature

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong’s legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside. The three-hour occupation, which ended early Tuesday, came on the 22nd anniversary of the former British colony’s return to China, a city holiday, and reflected mounting frustration with Hong Kong’s leader for not responding to protesters’ demands after several weeks of demonstrations. The protests were sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for…

Monday, 01 July 2019 04:31

Presidency confirms Ruga settlement, says it’s voluntary for states

PRESS RELEASE Presidency wishes to draw attention to recent unhelpful comments regarding the plan to stop roaming of cattle herders with the attendant clashes with farmers. “Ruga Settlement” that seeks to settle migrant pastoral families simply means rural settlement in which animal farmers, not just cattle herders, will be settled in an organized place with provision of necessary and adequate basic amenities such as schools, hospitals, road networks, vet clinics, markets and manufacturing entities that will process and add value to meats and animal products. Beneficiaries will include all persons in animal husbandry, not only Fulani herders. Federal Government is…

Monday, 01 July 2019 04:30

Southeast, Southsouth won’t provide land for Ruga settlement - Ebonyi Gov

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has said that there is no plan to establish Ruga settlement in any part of South-East and South-South zones of Nigeria. Mr Umahi disclosed this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Emma Uzor, in Abakaliki on Sunday. The reaction of Umahi, chairman of South-East Governors Forum’s, followed controversies and insinuations trailing federal government’s alleged plan for establishment of Ruga settlements in some states. Umahi explained that South-east zone did propose a deal with the members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) as a panecea to achieving lasting peace between farmers and…

Monday, 01 July 2019 04:27

Nationwide blackout as power grid collapses

The nation’s power grid experienced a total collapse on Sunday, plunging consumers across the country into blackout. Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc disclosed on its Twitter handle that the present loss of supply in the entire South East “is a result of a system collapse which occurred at 09:21 am of today, 30th June, 2019.” It said, “This is as a result of fire outbreak on Benin 330KV transmission line reactor. As a result of this unfortunate development, there is zero supply to all customers in our franchise areas as all our injection substations are affected.” Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc also…

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