Ruga policy

The Ruga policy (lit. 'human settlement policy') is a controversial Nigerian policy, introduced by the Buhari Muhammad Presidency, aimed at resolving the conflict between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and sedentary farmers.[1] The policy, which is currently suspended, would "create reserved communities where herders will live, grow and tend their cattle, produce milk and undertake other activities associated with the cattle business without having to move around in search of grazing land for their cows."[1]

Etymology

Ruga (or Rugga) Fulani word for human settlement, and can also be interpreted as the acronym of "rural grazing area"...[2]

History

The policy was developed by the National Livestock Transformation Plan under the Nigeria Economy Council to curb the conflict between farmers and fulani herdsmen.[1]

Criticism

The Government of Nigeria, under the former General Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Brigadier Shehu Yaradua (Fulani), who conceived the policy, and current president Muhammad Buhari, who also is Fulani, attempted to implement the policy.

Southerners, who tend to be more Christian and animist than the Muslims to their north, as an the policy as designed to benefit the Muslim Fulanis.[1] So southerners and some religious bodies kicked against Ruga policy; except of course the government and most Northerner, where the Fulani hold sway.[1]

Benue State, which has borne the brunt of horrendous violence between herdsmen and farmers, aligned with its southern counterparts on this issue, notwithstanding that the state is situated along the Middle Belt axis, where its sister states have joined the North to literally beckon to Ruga.[3]
But the Nigerian Government made the policy permanent, to end the incessant killings of indigenes in local communities where Fulani herdsmen take their cattle to graze.[4]

The suspension xcame on a day The Arewa youths, under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, gave southern leaders 30 days to accept the Ruga Project in peace, and a 30-day ultimatum to President Buhari to implement the programme[5]

References
  1. "Rethinking the Ruga policy". The Nation Newspaper. 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  2. "RUGA meaning". RUGGA RUGA POLICY. July 27, 2019.
  3. Published. "South-East govs, Ortom, Ishaku, others reject FG's Ruga settlements for herdsmen". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  4. Opara, George (2019-07-03). "FG sued over controversial Ruga Settlement policy". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  5. Published. "FG suspends Ruga". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
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