Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state Sunday called on the federal government to pay more attention to the impending food crisis rather than pursue a skewed agenda for herdsmen who are responsible for the growing insecurity in the council.
Ortom expressed worry that instead of work for the safety of farmers responsible for food production in the country the federal government is only concerned about animals and their safety and is deploying all machinery and arsenals of government to impose grazing reserves and cattle routes on Nigerians.
Ortom who spoke with journalist at the Airport in Makurdi when he returned from Delta state noted that most farmers have been displaced by herdsmen and they cannot go to their farms.
He said the situation portends danger for Nigerian food security, adding that already, the country is experiencing food shortage as a result of the activities of the herdsmen.
The Buhari administration does not seem to be worried about the food crisis already ravaging the country.
“Farmers have been chased into IDP camps by herders and children are dying of starvation in addition to being denied education, yet what is more important to the federal government is the well being of cows.
“We expected the pitiable condition of the displaced people to be the preoccupation of the federal government, but it is unfortunate that what the presidency is interested in is grabbing land for cows.
He said he was disappointed by the insistent of the federal government for Grazing Reserves and Cattle routes, despite resolution by states that ranching is the best practice of animal husbandry worldwide.
“The situation of food crisis is staring at us in the face in this harvesting season and in two years to come, if nothing is done, there will be serious problem of food shortage.
“It is laughable and it appears we do not understand what we are doing. In Benue, there is no land for Grazing Reserves, but if the federal government insists, we will challenge it in court,” he said.
