Miyetti Allah: Stop politicizing herdsmen/host communities conflicts

THE Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has condemned what it described as the politicisation of the herdsmen and host communities’ conflict across the country, regretting that the herdsmen were always accused of a crime, even in situations where they were the victims of the attack.

Speaking on the heels of the alleged abducting of 10 of its members and confiscating of about 300 cows at Obene in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State, the South East Chairman of MACBAN, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki cited instances where criminals disguised in Fulani attires committed crimes in some states like Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Southern Kaduna and Anambra in order to give the herdsmen a bad name.

The abductors demanded a ransom of N4 million and a gun before they could release the herdsmen.

The herders have attacked their settlement while asleep and their animals are forcefully taken away by the gunmen numbering about 40.

According to the Miyetti Allah leader in the zone, most of the face-offs between herdsmen, farmers and host communities were due to a lack of adequate communication by the concerned authorities, arguing that most of the conflicts could be averted if dialogue and proper conflict management skills were established in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Siddiki however, commended the Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for initiating a peace and reconciliation committee to address the security challenges in the state and the South East region at large, with a view to achieving real solutions.

He pledged that the MACBAN under his watch in the South East and South-South regions would continue to preach unity and peace among Nigerians irrespective of tribe, ethnic and religious placement.

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