At least eleven Nigerian states have begun moves to establish cattle ranches in a bid to end the protracted conflict between farmers and herders, which has led to hundreds of deaths in recent years.
The states — Lagos, Plateau, Ondo, Zamfara, Bauchi, Delta, Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa, and Anambra — have either allocated land, pledged support, or are developing frameworks for ranching initiatives.
This nationwide push follows renewed violence in Benue and Plateau, where over 200 people were killed last week in attacks linked to armed herders.
President Bola Tinubu, who described the attacks as a land-grabbing crisis, has ordered the arrest of perpetrators and set up a committee of elder statesmen and traditional rulers to foster peace in Benue.
While Lagos and Ondo have existing anti-open grazing laws and have been developing ranching infrastructure, states like Zamfara and Nasarawa have pledged large expanses of land for federal ranching projects.
In contrast, states such as Benue and Edo remain undecided, with many residents expressing skepticism about federal involvement in what they describe as private enterprise.
