The Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association has warned the Federal Government against acquiring land to build cattle ranches for Fulani herdsmen.
The President of the YYSA, Mr. Olalekan Hammed, said in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday that acquiring land for building ranches for herdsmen would cause a serious crisis in the future.
He said the Fulani would later want to claim ownership of such land thereby causing a serious crisis with the people of their host communities.
In order to forestall such future crisis, the youths advised the FG to treat livestock business like other privately-owned businesses so that people from other ethnic groups would not see the government action as trying to favour the Fulani people at the expense of others.
He said, “The Federal Government should not go ahead to acquire land for Fulani people because this will cause a serious crisis in the future. The Chairman of Miyetti Allah has already said that land in the entire country belongs to the Fulani.
“The Federal Government should not acquire land for them in Yorubaland. If Fulani herdsmen want to buy land for their livestock business, they should contact state governments. If there is available land in any state, such state will give them and they will make agreements on the land.
“Livestock business is private business of individuals and the Federal Government should not use the nation’s resources to create ranches for the Fulani. The statement that all land in Nigeria belongs to Fulani shows that they have a hidden agenda to dominate everywhere and this can never be possible.
“So, in order to avoid a crisis which the proposed ranches by the Federal Government would cause in the future, we are advising them against it now. Nobody will cede an inch of Yorubaland to anybody for ranches.”
The YYSA president warned that the Federal Government should not create a bigger problem while trying to solve a problem, saying that would not be seen as patriotism.
