We Didn’t Give Miyetti Allah ‘Even One Kobo’ – Minister

The Federal Government has said no money exchanged hands during its recent meeting with Fulani herder group, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), in Brinin Kebbi, the capital city of Kebbi State.

This was according to the Minister of Interior, Lieutenant-General (retired) Abdulrahman Dambazau, who on Monday denied reports that the government gave the herder group N100 billion to end the killing of farmers and kidnapping in the country.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had been credited with making the allegation that the government may have bribed Miyetti Allah with the said amount.

But speaking to reporters on Monday in Anka, Zamfara state, Dambazau described the allegation as the “fabrication of mischief makers’’.

The interior minister said: “Let me state categorically that during our meeting with members of the Miyetti Allah representatives, no issue of money was discussed at all, not to talk about giving them any.

“We did not give them even one kobo, the information being spread is the fabrication of mischief makers trying to divert from the matter facing us, which is the killing of innocent citizens.

“My visit to Zamfara today is in furtherance of that meeting to discuss with stakeholders and as you have seen, we are on course and confident that the issue of banditry in all the affected states is coming to an end,” he said.

Dambazau, who earlier spoke at the palace of the Emir of Anka, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, said President Muhammadu Buhari had directed him to visit the state to look into the security challenges facing the state.