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Tag: Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN)

  • MACBAN to fish out killer-herders

    MACBAN to fish out killer-herders

    Members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have agreed to collectively lay down their arms to allow peace reign between them and farmers in Benue and Nasarawa States.

    National President of MACBAN, Baba Othman Ngelzarma stated this position yesterday in Lafia after their stakeholders meeting comprises of members in Benue and Nasarawa States on the need for peace and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

    Speaking during the meeting, Ngelzarma said the killings have become too much and it’s time to embrace peace following the visits of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Benue state to commiserate with the people over the killings.

    According to him “We have come together at a time of great concern and reflection, the painful and tragic loss of lives and livelihoods resulting from prolonged conflicts between farmers and herders in parts of Benue and Nasarawa States is one of the most heartbreaking realities facing our region

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    “Let’s recognize the critical importance of peaceful co-existence for our survival and progress. We are herders, but we are also fathers, mothers, citizens, and Nigerians with a shared destiny. We must, therefore, be at the forefront of peace advocate

    “MACBAN as an association deeply rooted in the cultural and economic life of Nigeria, we cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering, displacement, and mistrust that these conflicts have generated

    “We must disown and isolate every element within our ranks that promotes confrontation or criminality. Conflicts over land, water and grazing have become far too frequent, and the consequences are too dire to ignore. It is time to change our approach.

    “Let me make it clear, violence is not a solution, rehabilitation is not justice, and we must now embrace dialogue, empathy, and mutual understanding. Our pastoral way of life can only continue to thrive if we live in peace with our neighbors.

    “In this regard, I urged our members in both Benue and Nasarawa states and in fact the whole country to actively engage with peace building initiative. I call on traditional rulers who are the custodian of our values and cultures to rise and play a more assertive role in facilitating dialogue and reconciliation. These leaders must serve as bridges between communities and as beacon of wisdom and unity” he said

    He urged government to involve youths who often become pawns in cycles of violence, empowering them with knowledge, skills and opportunities for constructive livelihoods. Idle and aggrieved youth population is a breeding ground for chaos,” he added.

  • Killing of Catholic priest: Buhari orders manhunt for killers

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday directed the security agencies to go all out to find the brains behind Thursday’s killing of Reverend Father Paul Offu in Enugu.

    Buhari also sent condolences to the Catholic Church over the killing of the priest who, until his death, was in charge of St. James Greater Parish Catholic Church, Ugbawka, Enugu State.

    Similar condolences came from the state branch of the  Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

    The group described the death of Offu as one too many and said the killers must be brought to book.

    Buhari, according to his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, expressed deep shock and dismay over the killing of the priest.

    The President commiserated with government and people of Enugu State, family of Rev Fr. Offu and members of the parish and all Christians.

    Describing the killing of the priest as “barbaric and unwarranted’’, President Buhari assured the Catholic Church and all Nigerians that the fight against “lawlessness and recklessness’’ will be intensified as security of lives and property continues to top his priorities.

    “The entire nation is shaken by the horrible assassination of this priest. The administration will continue to guarantee the freedom of religion and protect places of worship as well as the lives of citizens wherever they live,” he added.

    Directing law enforcement agencies to act swiftly in their investigations and bring the perpetrators of the “horrific crime’’ to book, the President called on all religious leaders to pray for peace, healing and security of the country.

    Miyetti-Allah: Fulani herders not responsible for killing of Offu

    In its reaction, the Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Enugu State said that its members were not responsible for the killing of the Catholic priest.

    It said it has been inundated with a barrage of accusations following the killing which it described as unfortunate.

    The group said it was part of the security and peace committee in Enugu State, hence it was bound to control its members and ensure that criminals do not infiltrate its members conducting their business of cow rearing.

    Chairman of MACBAN in South East, Alhaji Giddado Siddiki in a statement said: “Again our hearts bleed over the most bastardly murder of a Catholic priest, Reverend Father Paul Offu, of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.

    “This is one murder too many! It is most condemnable and heartily regretted.

    “Again our society aches as a result of the activities of criminals who care less about the value of human life. It is painful that the security apparatuses of the government have not been able to contain the excesses of these men of the underworld who have continued to diminish the value of life in our society.

    “We hereby most heartily console the members of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, and all the Christian faithful on this very painful and irreparable loss.

    “We once more call on the government to rise to the occasion and provide adequate security for the citizens of Nigeria across the length and breadth of the country.

    “We maintain that crime, in whatever form of its perpetration, is anti-society. Criminals of any guise cause pains to society and should therefore be properly identified and made to face the full wrath of the law.

    “While we mourn the sudden departure of Father Offu, we are very hopeful that this occasion will agitate the government sufficiently to respond to the challenge of criminality amongst us.

    “Please let all of us be duly consoled. May God receive the soul of His dutiful servant in Paradise.”

  • Miyetti Allah’s Sec-Gen.: we reserve comments on Ruga suspension

    The National Secretary-General of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Othman Baba Ngelzarma said his association was reserving it comments on the suspension of the Ruga settlement policy by the Federal Government.

    Othman Ngelzarma told our correspondent in a telephone interview that his association will have to review its position on the decision taken by the government before speaking on it.

    He said: “I cannot give you and comment now on the decision concerning the suspension of the Ruga programme by the Federal Government because I don’t have any details yet. “Apart from that we have to meet as an association and study the decision and review it properly before we will issue a statement to the consumption of the general public.

    “I cannot say anything for now but maybe the decision of the Federal Government is as a result of complains from different parts of the country. I don’t know yet because the details are still scanty to me and our association to take a stand on the issue as it has turned out.”

    Read Also: Relief as Buhari suspends Ruga scheme

    The MACBAN spokesman had in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, before the announcement of the suspension, said the policy was misunderstood by those calling for its suspension. Ngelzarma, who led the local chapter on a visit to Governor Mai Mala Buni, also explained that the programme was not meant to be forced on any state.

    Reacting to Prof Wole Soyinka’s comment that the policy could set Nigeria on fire, Ngelzarma argued that the programmed was designed to end farmers’/ herders’ conflicts.

    In Osogbo, the Chief Whip of the Osun State House of Assembly, Tunde Olatunji, hailed the step taken by the President, describing it as confirmation that the “All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government is responsive, responsible and accountable to Nigerians”.

    The lawmakers advocated for a more patriotic and pragmatic measures towards resolving the challenges of the farmers/ herdsmen clashes.

  • Ohanaeze youths reject MACBAN’s demand for vigilance group

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has rejected calls by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) for the creation of vigilance group in the Southeast to protect its members.

    MACBAN made the demand last week during a security summit in Enugu State. The summit was convened by the Southeast Governors’ Forum.

    But in a statement on Monday, OYC said such vigilance groups have been in existence in the zone, albeit unofficially.

    The statement, signed by the President-General, Okechukwu Isoguzoro, noted that most houses and streets in the zone employ notherners as security personnel. The practice, he noted, is already a security threat to the region and which should be discontinued forthwith.

    The statement reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council worldwide appreciates the condemnation against the demands of MACBAN, to officially establish the Fulani Youths Vigilante groups to complement the efforts of other security apparatus or vigilante groups in the Southeast.

    Read Also: Ohanaeze warns attackers of Nwodo to desist

    “The truth be told, Fulani Youths Vigilante groups have been existing here for decades unofficially, and we appreciate the comments of Chief Nnia Nwodo that he will resist the establishment of Fulani Youth Vigilante group.

    “But we note that over 90 per cent of the mansions and houses owned by Igbo politicians, businessman and opinion leaders keep Fulani youths as gatemen and watchmen, including Chief Nwodo at his Enugu home. We now wonder how someone can shout about resisting Fulani Youths Vigilante groups when he has been paying the same Fulani Youths as gatemen for decades.

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council says except we get rid of those Fulani youths as our gatemen and watchmen, our outbursts against the establishment of Fulani Youths Vigilante groups will amount to nothing, when the vigilante groups are unofficially operating in our midst. Even most tenants prefer Fulani Youths to guard their streets than our local vigilance groups.

    “Except Ndigbo do the needful, the Fulani Youths Vigilante groups are unofficially operating in the Southeast, and that’s what gave MACBAN the effrontery and audacity to look at our Leaders face to face at Southeast Security Summit Enugu, and demand their official recognition.

    “MACBAN knows that those guarding our mansions in the Southeast are enough to constitute a militia to deal against the people of the people.”

  • Kaduna killings: Fulani demand probe panel

    Put casualty figure at 131

     

    A coalition of Fulani groups is demanding the setting up of a panel by the Federal and Kaduna State governments to investigate the recent alleged killings in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State.

    Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultural Association, Mobgal Fulbe Development Association (MOFDA), Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN) and Fulbe Global Development and Right Initiative at a joint press conference in Kaduna on Friday also asked the security agencies to  commence “the process of detailed documentation of the violence, including collection of exhibits and all relevant information to isolate the perpetrators of the violence, arrest and prosecute them for genocide.”

    They said their verification showed that 131 Fulani were killed during the mayhem,one more than the 130 figure given by Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

    The groups claimed that while 66 bodies were recovered, many other bodies could not be found apparently because they have been burnt by the perpetrators of the killings.

    Their spokesman, Engr. Saleh Alhassan of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore said: “In terms of human loss, 131 persons have so far been killed.

    “The bodies of 66 persons were recovered as earlier stated, where mass burials were performed, with the highest being 37 persons buried in a single, shallow grave in a valley.

    “The dead bodies of 65 pastoralists are yet to be recovered. It is important to state here that, survivors had seen when the members of their families were captured by the Adara youths and moved in the directions of the forest for cold-blooded execution in the most brutal of ways.”

    Read Also: Death toll hits 130 in Kaduna killings

    Alhassan condemned what he called attempts by some people and organizations to deny the killings.

    His words: “Since the news of the carnage first broke, some people without any iota of evidence began discrediting the reports from the security authorities.

    “Furthermore, many others began to politicise this gruesome crime, where innocent lives were lost.

    “Our organisations had taken time to interact with the victims and ascertain the level of death, killing of animals, loss of properties.

    “It is established that the attackers applied maximum violence, adopting total annihilation where all members of families attacked were killed irrespective of age and gender. For this reason, nobody was spared, except those who survived through the miracles of the Almighty God.

    “This is the third time that these forms of crimes are committed by the Adara communities against the pastoralists, now becoming a recurring phenomenon since 2017.

    “I believe every Nigerian will recall the brutal murder of about 100 innocent pastoralists, mostly children, women and the elderly by the Adara militia youths at Angwan Aku and environs in June 2017.

    “That episode is yet to be investigated, and to date, nobody is held accountable.”

    “We recognize the effort of the security agencies in rescuing some of the victims, but hasten to add that, there intervene came too late after the brutal murder of many.”

    The coalition released a list purportedly containing the names of the victims of the mayhem.

    The casualties include 70 children under the age of 10 and 16 others between the ages of 11 and  20 years.

    Sixty-six of the victims were females.

     

  • Miyetti Allah opts for cattle colony, rejects ranching in Nasarawa

    Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said it preferred the establishment of cattle colonies to ranching system as a solution to the end farmers/herdsmen crisis in Nasarawa state.

    The state MACBAN chairman, Husseini Muhammed, made this known in a town hall meeting in Lafia, saying the ranching system is expensive and very difficult to manage.

    Preferring cattle colony, he said it is cheaper, affordable and is inclined with the norms, culture and tradition of Fulani herdsmen.

    Hussein, who described his Fulani kinsmen as peaceful and law abiding people of this country, blamed the anti-open grazing law in Benue state as being responsible for the clashes seen in recent times between herders and the Tiv farmers.

    Read Also:Killings: Court asked to declare Fulani herdsmen, Miyetti Allah terrorists

    He stated, “We have lost over 60 herdsmen and thousands of our cows also are nowhere to be found, they got lost due to hunger, while others were killed by the Tiv people from Benue state”.

    In a related development, the Tiv Development Association through its chairman, Mr Boniface Effe accused Fulani herdsmen of rendering havoc on Tivs communities for no just cause than the anti-open grazing law in Benue which does not have anything to do with Nasarawa state.

    Mr Boniface said: “Over 200 people lost their lives, while 8570 houses were destroyed in all the attacks carried out this year by suspected Fulani herdsmen.”

    He called on the Federal Government to facilitate the process for Tiv people to return to their homes and begin this year’s farming.

    He however, appreciated Governor Tanko Almakura for providing them with relief materials, expressing confidence that no distant time they will all return to their ancestral homes.

  • Cattle colonies not practicable in South-East – Miyetti Allah

    Cattle colonies not practicable in South-East – Miyetti Allah

    The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria ( MACBAN ) said yesterday there was no need to set up cattle colonies in the Southeast geopolitical zone.

    The Chairman of MACBAN in Anambra State, Alhaji Sadiq Gidado, told reporters in Awka,the state capital that the establishment of cattle colonies in the area was not necessary because of the harmonious relationship existing between members of the association and the residents.

    He, however, underscored the need to strengthen the mutual understanding and synergy between MACBAN and the people in the zone.

    Gidado bemoaned the incessant farmer-herdsman clashes in some parts of the country, saying that the two parties were coexisting peacefully in the South East zone.

    He said:“Cattle breeding in Anambra is different from what obtains in other states; here in Anambra; we are working in synergy with the security operatives, the indigenes and the state government through the Cattle Menace Control Committee.

    “To me, anti-open grazing bill, cattle colonies and ranches are just political creations; these concepts are created by politicians to bring disharmony between farmers and herdsmen.

    “In the Southeast, the proposed cattle colonies cannot work; you cannot just take somebody’s land and give to another person to conduct his own business; it is not right.

    “Here in the zone, it is virtually impossible to operate cattle colonies, as there is harmonious relationship existing between the herdsmen and the farmers.

    “The cattle colonies they are talking about are already existing in the North.”

    Gidado, who is a member of the Cattle Menace Control Committee, commended the governors of the Southeast states for being proactive by setting up the committee which had ensured peace.

    He blamed some frictions recorded in the region on migrant cattle breeders, who were not members of MACBAN in the zone, saying that the association had put in place some measures to forestall future incidents.

    “We thank the governors of the South-East states, especially the Anambra and Enugu state governors, who constituted these committees that are coordinating our activities.

    “The regulation is that you only graze where there are no farms.

     If you destroy farmlands intentionally or unintentionally, you must be punished for what you have done and be made to pay for what you have destroyed.

    “And if the people in the communities kill a Fulani man or his cow, you pay damages accordingly; we have a good structure that enables the effective management of our members,” Gidado said.

  • MACBAN wants increased security at borders to curb excesses of foreign pastoralists

    MACBAN wants increased security at borders to curb excesses of foreign pastoralists

    Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has urged security agencies to increase their surveillance on foreign pastoralists entering into the country so as to monitor their activities.

    The National Secretary of the association, Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, made the call while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

    Ngelzarma, who said that pastoralists coming in and out of the Niger Republic were given operational permits, suggested that a similar policy should be adopted in the country.

    He said that such permits would allow the security agencies to know the pastoralists’ countries of origin and the number of their cattle, with a view to checking their activities when they were in the country.

    The national secretary said that the move would also allow the association to fish out the “bad eggs’’ among the local pastoralists.

    “If you look at the international routes that allow the international pastoralists to enter into the country, those routes are not monitored by any security outfit in the country.

    “What we discovered in Niger is that before they allow their pastoralists come into Nigeria, they have to give them permit, know where they are going to and the number of cows that they are taking before allowing them to go.

    “And if the number of their cows increases when they are coming back, they will be questioned.

    “That system of check is what is absent in Nigeria,’’ he said.

    Ngelzarma also called for a synergy between state governments in the border areas and neighbouring countries to curtail the excesses of the international pastoralists.

    “Niger Republic usually allows all their international pastorialists to come into Nigeria around December because by December, they must have gathered their farm produce but in Nigeria, it is not so.

    “The time they release their pastoralists to come to Nigeria is the time when our farmers are still busy with their farm produce in the farms.

    “There is no synergy between the neighbouring states and the border states.

    “We have to work together and if this is done, the farmers-herdsmen crisis will reduce significantly,’’ he said.

  • Herdsmen seek inclusion in FG’s health programmes

    Herdsmen seek inclusion in FG’s health programmes

    The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has appealed to the Federal Government to include pastoralists in its health programmes to avoid transfer of diseases from humans to animals.

    The National Secretary of the association, Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

    Ngelzarma who expressed regret over the neglect of the livestock sector, said that pastoralists were not usually considered  while designing government health programmes.

    The national secretary said that the population of pastoralists and herdsmen across the country was over 30 million and should not be neglected in any government programme.

    “Pastoralists do not benefit from government health programmes. Today, if they are sick, they only go to the patent medical stores in nearby communities to get treated.

    “They and their families are not captured in the immunisation, maternal health and meningitis programme.

    “When people are designing these government health programmes, they do not put pastoralists’ into consideration, and this is the easiest way to transfer diseases from humans to animals because they move from one place to another,’’ he said.

    The MACABAN scribe called on the government to collaborate with the association to sensitise and educate pastoralists across the country to reduce vices among them.

    According to him, the value chain in the livestock industry is contributing immensely to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    The national secretary said that some members of the association were victims of the insurgency in the North-East, with more than two million cattle lost to the crisis.

    Ngelzarma however said some of the herdsmen have been included in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) programme of the Federal Government.

    He said that the group was compiling information on members affected by the Boko Haram crisis, which it would forward to the Presidential Committeeon North-East Initiative.

    Ngelzerma appealed to government at all levels to accord maximum attention to the livestock sector to encourage them.

  • Herdsmen/farmers clash: Association lauds Enugu govt.’s peace initiative

    Herdsmen/farmers clash: Association lauds Enugu govt.’s peace initiative

    The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has commended the Enugu State Government’s initiative for ensuring peace between farmers and herdsmen in the state.

    The Chairman of MACBAN in the South-East, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, gave the commendation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday.

    Siddiki said this following the relative peace existing in the state between herdsmen and farmers for some time now.

    He revealed that the state government had well-funded the two commissions: Peace and Security Commission and Pastoralists and Farmers Peace Commission, which were established to ensure lasting peace returns to the state.

    ‘‘Enugu State is distinct in its expression of belief in our (MACBAN) regulatory capabilities.

    ‘‘The support we had received from the present Enugu State Government remains unprecedented and is ever cherished.

    ‘‘While we passionately thank Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for boldly and wisely pointing the way to healthy co-operation and interaction between our people and their landlords.

    ‘‘We plead with him not only to sustain his interest in us but to increase the logistic support he offers us,’’ he said.

    The chairman, however, called for support to enable the association to effectively monitor its members as well as intruders posing as pastoralists in the South-East.

    ‘‘I insist that with sufficient support from the three tiers of government; MACBAN has the capacity to drastically reduce unsavory incidences attributed to our members.

    ‘‘This will give us greater impetus to effectively monitor our people, enforce our accepted occupational code of conduct and effectively resist camp infiltration with the attendant repercussions,’’ he said.

    NAN recalls that farmers and herdsmen in Enugu State had fashioned out a workable Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to streamline their operations and spell out conflict resolution conditions to promote lasting peace.

    The MoU, when signed by both parties, would underscore the need for farmers and herdsmen to understand each other even as the new farming season commences in the state.