Fulani Leaders Demand 30% Budget for Livestock Ministry

Fulani leaders, represented by Abdullahi Ardo, General Secretary of the Kautal Pulaku Fulbe Association of Nigeria, have called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to allocate 30% of the agricultural budget to the Ministry of Livestock Development and to establish pilot ranches across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. During an international press conference in Abuja, they emphasized the need to protect the 417 grazing reserves to address challenges faced by pastoralists.

They reported that over 20,000 lives have been lost in farmer-herder conflicts over the past decade and urged for a national dialogue involving various stakeholders to promote justice and peaceful coexistence. Ardo highlighted the lack of funding and operational framework for the Ministry of Livestock Development, established in 2024, and called for immediate action to support displaced pastoralists and investigate recent coordinated attacks that have resulted in numerous deaths and property destruction.