We Have Never Had It So Bad Until Buhari Became President— MACBAN

Barely five days before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves government after eight years of service, the Coalition Of Pastoralist Association of Nigeria (COBAN) has lamented that his administration was the worst for pastoralist.

The disclosure was made during a press briefing by the association in respect to the recent attack in oyo state on Thursday in Abuja.

The association revealed that under the Buhari administration profiling of all pastoralists as Fulani herders or criminals have endangered their lives and made them vulnerable to consistent attacks.

Speaking at the briefing, the National President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (MACBAN), Baba Ngelzarma said that while over N500 billion was spent on agro-economy, very little is spent on livestock.

According to Ngelzarma “Over eight years of Buhari government, we have never had it so bad, this is the worst era for Nigeria pastoralists.”

He also said the current predicament of the pastoralist is as a result of the imbalance on livestock funding by the government compared to the agro-economy and leaving budgets in the hands of unorganized practitioners.

Also speaking, the President of Fulbe Global Development and Rights Initiative (FGDRI) Salim Umar revealed that the lives of pastoralists could have been protected.

However, he alleged that the present government in collaboration with various security agents across the country are responsible for the various attacks on pastoralist.

According to Umar, herders have been exploited and used as a means of livelihood by the government and security agents, noting that the refusal of being exploited by the security agents have led to “reprisal”by the pastoralist.

Umar said “The Fulani man has become an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) for security agents, and the justice system has failed the pastoralist.

“Due to their lack of trust in the justice system, and various attacks they face, the Fulani pastoralist have resulted to reprisal.”

He also said that the ongoing violence in Taraba and Benue state is the handiwork of the outgoing administration who are hell-bent in ensuring that no peace deal is reached between herders and farmers in this state.

The Vice President, Tabital Pulaaku International Nigeria Chapter, Auwal Gonga added that the President throughout his tenure never called the COPAN association or affected Pastoralist to sympathize with them.