Nomadic communities under threat – Miyetti Allah

Leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) say nomadic communities in the country are under threat as they are generally being labelled as killers.
The national president of the association who is also the Ardo Zuru, Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa, voiced the concern when he led officials of the association on a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Media Trust Limited in Abuja yesterday.
The Ardo Zuru said the association was disturbed by the recent upsurge in violence between farming communities and herdsmen in some parts of the country, pointing out that some media outfits paint the Fulani as serial killers.
“We, as an association, want the monster to be tamed, otherwise we will wake up one day and herdsmen will find no place to stay in Nigeria. When you go through the pages of newspapers every morning, you will find nasty comments that attribute every attack to herdsmen in the country. The truth is that not every herdsman is a criminal,” he said.
 He noted that nobody cares to find out the root of the problems between herdsmen and farmers, adding that they had been living in harmony with these same farmers for decades.
“But in a situation where every member of the association is profiled as a criminal, an attacker, an invader is not really helping matters. We feel that a ground is being prepared for a greater genocide ahead if it is not fully tamed now,” Alhaji Kiruwa said.
Also speaking, the National Secretary of the association, Baba Uthman Ngelzarma, said government had not been carrying them along in matters that affect herdsmen, even as the association was always ready to cooperate with government in any policy decision that would bring lasting peace between them and other communities.
He urged the government to look critically into the complex issue of cattle rustling with a view to finding lasting solutions to the lingering crises before herdsmen are brought to their knees.
Responding, the Managing Editor of Media Trust, Theophilus Abbah, promised them fair coverage on robust dialogue for a peaceful and united Nigeria as the crisis effects everybody.