From Yakubu Wuyep, Jos
A legal practitioner, Barrister John Apollos Maton, has called for greater protection of ancestral lands in the Middle Belt as he challenges the Federal Government’s National Pilot Ranching Programme in court.
Maton, alongside Mrs Marie Ene Orgah and other concerned individuals, has filed two lawsuits seeking judicial interpretation of the legality of establishing ranches on lands belonging to indigenous communities without their consent.
The lawyer said the legal action was necessary to address concerns over land ownership, constitutional rights and the interests of communities affected by the proposed ranching programme.
He expressed concern over the continued implementation of the ranching policy despite opposition to earlier RUGA-related proposals in parts of the Middle Belt.
Maton also questioned the decision to include Nasarawa State in the pilot programme, saying it had generated fresh concerns among indigenous communities in the region.
According to him, government efforts should focus on the resettlement of internally displaced persons, restoration of affected communities and prosecution of perpetrators of violence.
“We will resist through every lawful means—litigation, advocacy and the ballot box,” he said.
Maton urged the Federal Government to review the ranching programme and ensure that affected communities are properly consulted before decisions are taken concerning their ancestral lands.
He also called on lawyers, traditional institutions, cultural associations and civil society organisations to support efforts aimed at protecting the rights and interests of indigenous communities in the Middle Belt.