Miyetti Allah Must Be Placed Under Security Watch, Niger Delta Elders Tell FG
The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has called on the federal government to place the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association, MACBAN, under security watch.
The group made the statement following the recent killings in Plateau State which claimed about 100 lives, left several others injured and many houses razed.
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MACBAN Chairman, North Central zone, Danladi Ciroma, had said the attack on Razat, Ruku, Nyarr, Kura and Gana-Ropp villages of Gashish District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, was in retaliation of the killing of over 300 cows in the last few weeks by the villagers.
The National Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Mr Othman Ngelzarma, has however dissociated the group from the statement, claiming that “the statement made by the zonal chairman should be credited to him.
“That should be his personal opinion because I believe he should be an indigene of Plateau State,” he said.
PANDEF, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Alfred Mulade condemned the boastful statement by MACBAN.
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The statement read: “PANDEF condemns in the strongest possible terms the statement credited to the Chairman of the North Central Chapter of MACBAN, Danladi Ciroma that the attacks were retaliatory over cows lost by herdsmen in the last few weeks.
“That statement, to say the least is callous, insensitive and provocative. We call on the leadership of MACBAN to denounce it immediately, and apologise to the people of the affected communities, in the interest of peace and harmony.
“In as much as we do not support cattle rustling under any guise, it is, however, absurd that human lives are now being equated with those of cows in the country. That kind of statement gives the obvious impression that MACBAN supports and aids the spate of killings by herdsmen across the North Central region and other parts of the country.
“It is imperative for the government to thoroughly scrutinise the activities of MACBAN and also put its leadership under security watch.”
