Insecurity: How authorities can stop influx of herdsmen ─Miyetti Allah

*The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government, as part of security measures, to decisively address the issue of porous borders enabling the massive proliferation of illegal arms in the country

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

As part of practical measures to alleviate the huge losses of lives and property resulting from banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other socio-economic crimes in Nigeria, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has urged the Federal Government to leverage the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) International Transhumance Certificate protocol to checkmate influx of herdsmen from neighbouring countries.

Alhaji Muhammad Kiruwa, President, and Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, National Secretary of the MACBAN made the call in a joint statement issued Thursday, February 4, 2021, in Abuja, FCT.

Ngelzarma said the advice was part of resolutions reached at the end of a day’s National Executive meeting of the association with Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association, in Abuja.

According to MACBAN National Secretary, the meeting was convened to review the deteriorating security situation in the country, as it affected its members and the continued stereotyping, by the social and the mass media, that all herdsmen were criminals and bandits.

The meeting called on the Federal Government to organise sensitisation and re-orientation programmes for pastoralists, and revamp the nomadic education programme for their children.

Likewise, the Association urged the Federal Government to decisively deal with the issue of porous borders, which made it possible for the massive proliferation of arms.

MACBAN said: “The meeting also called on the Federal Government to introduce social support programmes, as is done to other sectors of the economy, such as farmers and miners, the petroleum sector.

“This will alleviate the huge losses of livestock; taking into consideration the over five million cattle that have been lost as a result of banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and climate change.

“The meeting expressed its outrage at how 1,730 cows were allegedly rustled in Kafin Koro, in Mariga Local Government Area in Niger State, on February 2, which rendered several families destitute, without any means of livelihood.

The Association noted the meeting “once again called on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to distinguish its name (Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria) with that of a newly registered organisation bearing the same Miyetti Allah, so as not to confuse the public.

Ngelzarma also pledged the cooperation and support of MACBAN to the Federal and state governments, traditional rulers and security agencies in the fight against banditry and kidnapping in all parts of the country.

Such cooperation would bring peace, stability and harmonious co-existence among Nigerians, he assured.

Kindly Share This Story