Miyetti Allah Withdraws Claim Plateau Attack Was Retaliatory

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has distanced itself from the claim that the recent killings in Plateau State were retaliatory.

Recall that the Chairman of the group in the north-central region, Danladi Ciroma had said the attack was a retaliation for the killing of “over 300 cows in the last few weeks by the villagers.”

“There have been recent reports of cow rustling and destruction of farms between Berom farmers and Fulani herdsmen. The Fulani herdsmen have lost over 300 cows in the last few weeks. 94 cows were rustled by armed Berom youths in Fan village; another 36 were killed by Berom youths. In addition to that, 174 cattle were rustled and the criminals disappeared with them to Mangu. Since these cows were not found, no one should expect peace in the affected areas,” Ciroma had said.

But the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Mr Othman Ngelzarma, in a stern statement on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, said the statement was only a personal opinion of Ciroma.

“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.

“It is so wicked, it is condemnable. We don’t condone it, we do not like it. It is really unfortunate and we sympathise with the communities in that area,” he said.

Reacting to the allegation that some members of the association go about heavily armed, he noted that such persons should be treated as criminals.

“Whoever is holding a dangerous weapon up to the level of AK-47, we consider that person to be a criminal as far as we are concerned.

“We know these are prohibited arms that should not be held by any other person apart from the security operatives. Apart from that, I don’t think it is allowed for anybody in this country to hold a dangerous weapon as AK-47,” the MACBAN stressed.