The Universal Reformed Christian Church, popularly known as NKST, has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed pilot ranching programme in Benue State, urging authorities to prioritise the return and resettlement of displaced communities before introducing new livestock projects.
The church alleged that 5,987 of its members had been killed and 753 worship centres destroyed in attacks blamed on armed herdsmen in Benue and neighbouring states.
The figures were contained in a statement issued by the General Secretary of the NKST Synod Executive Committee, Rev. Ta Targba.
NKST Says Ranching Should Not Come First
Targba said the church was not opposed to peaceful livestock farming or efforts by the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to conflicts between farmers and herders.
However, he argued that selecting Benue as a pilot state for ranching was unacceptable given the scale of killings, displacement and destruction suffered by communities across the state.
According to him, thousands of displaced residents are still unable to return to their ancestral homes, making their restoration and resettlement a more urgent priority.
“Benue is not merely a geographical space available for government experimentation. The state is predominantly an agrarian society. Its land is the ancestral inheritance, economic foundation and livelihood of millions of people,” Targba said.
Church Raises Land Ownership Concerns
The NKST General Secretary said generations of Benue residents had cultivated their ancestral lands and established homes, churches, schools, hospitals, markets and other institutions.
He argued that any government policy involving the allocation, acquisition or conversion of land must take into consideration the ancestral rights, livelihoods and property rights of affected communities.
Targba questioned why Benue should be selected for the ranching pilot programme after years of violence had forced residents from their communities.
“The NKST Church therefore asks: Why should a state whose people have suffered displacement and destruction because of violent conflict now be selected as a laboratory for a policy involving land allocation for the same livestock economy that has been at the centre of these conflicts?” he said.
NKST Alleges Thousands Killed
The church said its opposition to the proposed ranching programme was informed by the impact of the prolonged security crisis on its members and institutions.
“Over 5,987 of our members have been killed; 753 of our worship centres were destroyed by these marauders,” Targba alleged.
The figures are claims made by the church and have not been independently verified.
Call for Resettlement and Reconstruction
NKST called on the Federal Government to make the restoration and resettlement of displaced communities the foundation of any agricultural intervention in Benue.
The church also demanded adequate security to guarantee the safe and voluntary return of displaced persons to their ancestral communities.
It urged the government to support the reconstruction of homes, schools, healthcare centres, markets, roads, water facilities and churches destroyed during the violence.
The church further called for a comprehensive inventory of public and faith-based institutions destroyed in affected communities.
NKST maintained that no ranch should be established on land belonging to communities whose residents had been violently displaced.
The controversy adds to the wider national debate over how Nigeria can address persistent farmer-herder conflicts while protecting communities, land rights and the livelihoods of both farmers and livestock owners.
