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Buhari Insists On Open Grazing

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President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval to the return of the open grazing practised during the 1st Republic where herdsmen used designated grazing routes to move their cattle to several parts of the country.
To this end, the president said he had asked the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to begin the process of recovering land from persons who have converted cattle grazing routes for their personal use.
Buhari said this during an interview with Arise Television which was aired, yesterday.
The president said the grazing routes were designated in the 1st Republic when “Nigerians use to obey laws” but those routes had been converted.
Buhari was reacting to a question on the decision by 17 southern governors to ban open grazing.
The AGF had kicked against the declaration by the governors, adding that it was like northern governors banning spare part trading, job that is synonymous with southerners.
When asked if he agreed with the AGF’s position, Buhari laughingly responded, “You want me to contradict my attorney-general?”
Explaining further, he said, “What I did was ask him to go and dig the gazette of the 1st Republic when people were obeying laws. There were cattle routes and grazing areas. Cattle routes were for when they (herdsmen) are moving up country, North to South or East to West, they had to go through there.
“If you allow your cattle to stray into any farm, you are arrested. The farmer is invited to submit his claims. The Khadi or the judge will say pay this amount and if you can’t the cattle is sold. And if there is any benefit, you are given and people were behaving themselves and in the grazing areas, they built dams, put windmills in some places there were even veterinary departments so that the herders are limited. Their route is known, their grazing area is known.
“But I am telling you, this rushing to the centre (sic), so, I asked for the gazette to make sure that those who encroached on these cattle routes and grazing areas will be dispossessed in law and try to bring some order back into cattle grazing.”
He also lamented the style and utterances of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who had not only implemented an aggressive anti-open grazing law but had accused Buhari of failing to take actions against herdsmen because he is also a member of the Fulani herders.
Buhari said indeed, he is a Fulani man but Ortom was being unfair to him.
He said he had told Ortom that the herdsmen perpetrating the attacks are not the Nigerian ones.
The president further explained that the Tivs, which form the majority in Benue, and the Fulanis had been engaged in cultural conflicts for a long time.
He added, “The problem is trying to understand the culture of the cattle rearers. There is a cultural difference between the Tivs and the Fulanis. So, the governor of Benue said I am not disciplining the cattle rearers because I am one of them.
“I cannot say I am not one of them but he is being very unfair to me and I told him that the Nigerian cattle rearer was not carrying anything more than a stick sometime with a machete to cut some trees and feed his cattle but those sophisticated ones move with AK-47.
“So, from other areas, people rush to Nigeria you know and Fulanis from Mauritania and Central Africa look the same so they feel they are the Nigerian ones, and I assure you that we are trying to resuscitate these cattle routes, grazing areas and make them accountable.”

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Fubara Assures Completion Of Ongoing Projects In Rivers …As Airport Road Bypass Hits 65% Completion

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reassured the people of Rivers State of  his administration’s  commitment to the completion of the  various ongoing  infrastructure projects located in different parts of the state.

The governor, who gave the assurance last Friday while inspecting the level of work on the new  Airport Road Bypass in Port Harcourt, said the project had reached 65 per cent completion stage.

According to him, in spite of recent developments on the political scene, he remains in “high spirits,” and is ready  to continue with the task of  governance, especially the delivery of projects that will impact positively on the lives of the people.

“I want to assure our people that notwithstanding the situation of things, one thing that I can promise everyone, is that every good work that we have started, by the special grace of God, will continue and we will complete them. We’re in high spirits. Like, we always say, Rivers First,” he said.

Fubara said that his administration conceived the idea of constructing a bypass to the Airport Road to create an alternative route for the communities around the airport and avoid a situation where some of their activities could cause obstruction along the main highway leading to the Port Harcourt International Airport.

“We’ve always had these issues where the community may want to express their anger or dissatisfaction over some activities of the airport authorities, in the process they always block the airport road.

” We thought that in this modern society, such actions are not necessary anymore because whenever it happens, it affects the economic activities of the state. So we liaised with the community and created this bypass,” he said.

The governor, who  was conducted round the project site by the contractors, expressed delight at the pace of work on the road, disclosing that the total project will be delivered before October 2026.

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Fubara Promises To Deliver State Secretariat Early 2027

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that  the State Secretariat Complex which is undergoing massive reconstruction will be ready for use  by the first quarter of 2027.

Fubara stated this on Monday after a tour of the multiple and  expansive high rise buildings, located in the Old GRA, Port Harcourt.

The governor, who had undertaken a similar tour of the project earlier this year, said he decided to revisit the site to confirm the extent of the job that has been done so far.

“We just did a tour of the renovation of the Secretariat. I have been seeing the outer part of it wearing a new look,  but I wanted to really confirm how  much job is going on, most importantly, the inside and that is what I just went to inspect myself.

“I think that with the progress of work here, by the grace of God, I believe that by the first quarter of next year, it will be handed over to the government. Like I did promise, every job that we are handling, we will ensure that we put them to completion,” he said.

The Tide reports that the Rivers State Secretariat was constructed in the 1970s, shortly after Rivers State was created in 1967. It  is a massive complex consisting of multiple high-rise buildings, including the 17-storey “Point Block”, the 10-storey “Podium Block” along with three other 7-storey buildings tagged “Blocks A, B and C”.

The ongoing renovation  is a comprehensive and transformative upgrade aimed at modernizing the entire complex. It involves structural rehabilitation, improved office layouts, installation of modern facilities, and upgrading of utilities to meet present-day administrative standards.

The project is designed to create a more conducive, efficient, and technology-driven work environment for civil servants.

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Group Hails Tinubu, Chinda Emergence

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The 23 For OK & P-BAT Movement, a political pressure group championing the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governorship ambition of Honourable Ogundu Kingsley Chinda across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections, has congratulated both leaders on their victories at the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.

In a statement issued by the National Coordinator, Amb. Goodluck Braide, who also doubles as the President of the Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Limited, President Tinubu’s victory at the APC presidential primaries in Rivers State was described as a reflection of his growing popularity and acceptance among Nigerians. The group noted that since assuming office in 2023, the President has implemented bold economic reforms aimed at repositioning the country for sustainable growth, prosperity, and national development.

According to the group, the outcome of the primaries is an indication of what to expect in the 2027 general elections.

The group also congratulated Honourable Ogundu Kingsley Chinda on his emergence as the APC governorship flag bearer in Rivers State, describing the primary election process as peaceful, transparent, free, and fair. It stated that Chinda’s emergence signals increasing political unity among Rivers people across ethnic and political divides.

According to the movement, the APC made a strategic and wise decision in presenting Chinda as its governorship candidate, citing his leadership experience, competence, charisma, and proven capacity as qualities that position the party for victory in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Amb. Goodluck Braide, National Coordinator

The statement further acknowledged the role of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, praising his political foresight, resilience, and commitment to maintaining unity within the political structure in Rivers State while ensuring the state remains relevant in national politics.

The group equally commended the leadership of the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentanwe Yilwatda, noting that under his leadership since July 2025, the party has witnessed renewed strength, unity, and political growth ahead of the 2027 elections.

It also congratulated the people of Rivers State and Nigerians generally for their continued support and confidence in the Tinubu administration, which it said has made notable progress in promoting national cohesion, social integration, and economic development.

 

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