In this write-up, BEN ADOGA takes a look at the brouhaha that resulted from the Federal Government’s move to confiscate natives’ land in Abuja for the planting of grasses for livestock without proper compensation to the owners of the land.

It is no more news that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) indigenes known as ‘Gbagyis’ and other natives popularly called original inhabitants recently revolted in violent protest against the Federal Government.

Reason: The Federal Government recently commenced planting grasses in Paikon Kore in Gwagwalada Area Council for cattle on natives’ farmlands for which compensation has not been paid.

The natives perceived this could be clandestine move to take over their land or simply an act of impunity by top government officials to invade their community, take farmlands, and plant grasses for livestock when, in their estimation, humans are yet to be catered for.

One of the natives who spoke to ThisNigeria, Yabagi Yohanna, said it was annoying because they have reminded the government severally to pay compensation for farmland confiscated from them for livestock development.

He said, “They came to plant grasses for cows when nothing has been done for the community, they have not even supported us with farming tools.

“Every year they come here with gifts for livestock owners, what about us? Can’t they even bring fertilizers for native farmers, is it only cows that need government care, what about us?”

The Paikon Kore livestock reserve has been controversial as natives claim that the government has been trying to take over their farmland and transfer the same to herdsmen.

Investigations reveal that the Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, in his first tenure visited the location to finalise the processes of the final takeover. Since then, nothing has been done in terms of official acquisition of the reserve from the natives, though livestock activities like milking and preservation have been taking place.

The matter came to a head-on on June 28, 2022, when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar stepped into plant grasses for livestock.

The natives were angered by the action and the youths came out in violent protest.

One woman was allegedly killed on the spot in the protest. Reports have it that about four people were killed in the fracas.

The irate youths, armed with clubs and machetes attacked the Agric Minister who escaped, leaving his guests and other guests and media men who scampered and ran for safety.

They got into their official bus and drove, instead of towards the city centre drove towards Abaji, the opposite direction to escape the rampaging youths. It took military intervention to clear the road for them before they could find their way back.

After the violent protest, everything seems to be swept under the carpet with nobody mentioning the issue, even when lives have been lost.

What happened, one may ask, why are Abuja natives, especially becoming restive and violent prone? Simply, the issue of compensation and relocation is at the root.

Findings revealed that compensation has not been paid for the set aside as a reserve. The natives say the location was their farmland and designating the place as a reserve for livestock is interpreted as a land grab.

One of the residents had complained in the past that concentration was always given to pastoralists to the detriment of farmers who are predominantly natives.

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With these in the background, the minister of Agriculture, in the estimation of the aggrieved natives, has the temerity to invade their land to plant grasses for cows when the average human is in hunger, lacking, and wanting.
In other climes, such little things as the planting of grasses are far below the federal government to dabble into.

The Minister of Agriculture went in person, with fanfare and full media coverage to cover grass planting.

Not even the minister of FCT who the governor is should have condescended so low to plant grasses. A local government councillor or area council, in the case of the FCT, should have handled that as the area of constituency project.

At best, the government would have sensitised farmers on how to plant and tend the grasses and give them the grasses to plant for their use.

There is nothing wrong in planting grasses for your animals if one needed it, but for FG to go down to the villages to plant grasses, is unheard of. It’s like planting corn to smash for your birds in the poultry, which is completely a private concern and without issues.