Abuja Natives Demand Clarity on Ranching Programme

The Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) has called on the federal government to provide clear public clarification regarding the proposed ranching programme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). During a press briefing in Abuja, Commandant Isaac David, the executive director of AOIYEO, questioned the rationale, scope, and legal basis of the initiative, urging the government to explain its potential effects on the rights and livelihoods of Abuja's original inhabitants.

David emphasized that the relocation of Nigeria's Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja was intended to create a neutral capital for governance and national unity, not for establishing ranching settlements. He raised concerns about the transparency of the decision-making process regarding the ranching programme and called for a comprehensive development plan for the original inhabitants and other residents of the FCT if the government has a defined plan for ranching.