Eric Patrick
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to establish cattle ranches in Abuja and across various states in the country, describing it as a veiled attempt at land grabbing.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful said the move was a rebranded version of the controversial Ruga settlement initiative previously rejected by many Nigerians.
According to him, “It is a shame that in the 21st century, the Federal Government is prioritising cow colonies over education, security, and innovation.”
Powerful also accused the federal government of disguising territorial encroachment as national policy, warning that the establishment of ranches in Abuja—ancestral land of the Gbagi people—and other regions poses serious cultural and political threats.
He drew historical parallels, claiming that similar efforts had, in the past, led to the erosion of indigenous rights and cultural identity.
“What began as the ‘need for grazing’ centuries ago led to the total subjugation of proud territories.
“The rise of alien emirates, and the transformation of indigenous owners of the land into strangers in their ancestral homes.
“Abuja is about to witness the same fate if this madness is not stopped.”
IPOB maintained that it will continue to resist any attempt to impose such ranching projects on the Southeast or any part of Nigeria, calling on ethnic nationalities to remain vigilant and protect their lands.
The group reiterated its long-standing position that the solution to Nigeria’s herder-farmer crisis lies not in ranches imposed by fiat, but in sincere dialogue, equity, and respect for indigenous rights.
The statement partly read, “President Tinubu is unaware that no sensible country in the world keeps cattle around its capital city?
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“Let him point to any major city—from Nairobi to New Delhi, São Paulo to Seoul—where cattle are granted permanent settlements around central governance zones.
“This absurdity is uniquely Nigerian, and disgracefully so.
“Today, the Gbagi are being pushed to the margins; tomorrow, there will be an Emir of Abuja. And in 60 years—just like what befell the Hausas—the Gbagi will be footnotes in history, reduced to relics of their own heritage.
“Let it be known that IPOB shall resist any attempt—direct or indirect—to impose this toxic expansionist agenda anywhere in Biafraland. No inch of our territory will be given for herder settlements, cattle corridors, or so-called ranching. Our forests, our villages, our farmlands are sacred to us—not bargaining chips in a federal contract of death.
“Let them be transported by rail, just as is done in civilised societies. That’s how a serious nation handles its livestock economy—not by slaughtering indigenous peoples and seizing their homes under the guise of ranching.
“IPOB stands with the Gbagi people and every other indigenous nationality facing existential threats from Fulani neo-colonial conquest dressed up as national policy. Our diversity must be respected, our cultures preserved, and our ancestral lands protected.
“Let the killings in the name of cows stop. Let the bloodletting cease. Let Nigeria choose reason over ruin.”