Ohaneze, Afenifere Fault FG For Planned Talks With Miyetti Allah

The Federal Government has come under intense criticism for its plan to meet with Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

A panel raised by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is set to hold talks with Miyetti Allah as part of its probe to the increasing cases of killings by herdsmen across the country.

The committee, which was set up by the National Economic Council to is headed by the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, said this on Thursday shortly after a meeting of the committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Among those who faulted the move by the Federal Government are the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; the umbrella body for the Igbo, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo; and Middle Belt groups.

Yinka Odumakin, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, said the planned talks to end the killings was a step in the right direction, but the government of President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be trusted.

Odumakin said the APC-led federal government is leading Nigeria down the path of anarchy by planning to negotiate with herdsmen, responsible for killing thousands of innocent Nigerians.

He said it was unfortunate that “a professor of law would be meeting to negotiate with criminals.”

Odumakin added, “If the panel is meeting herdsmen, who are staining the country with blood, it means the Federal Government is complicit in the murder of Nigerians. They have not brought one person to book, but they are negotiating with the murderers; this is an invitation to anarchy.”

Also questioning the objective of the meeting, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said there was nothing to negotiate.

“What is the panel going to negotiate with the herdsmen about? Will they ask them (herdsmen) what the government should do to placate them before they will stop killing defenceless Nigerians,” National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Uche Achi-Okpaga asked.

“The setting up of the panel is simply unnecessary. It cannot achieve any result. It is the height of deceit. The panel has failed before it started.”

The President of the Middle Belt Youth Council, Emma Zopmal, said, “The government has never made an attempt to compensate the victims, yet it goes further to empower the Fulani herdsmen for killing innocent people. This is an irresponsible act on the part of the Nigerian government.”