The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has raised alarm over the worsening insecurity across the country, saying Fulani herders are the most affected.
Speaking in Ilorin during the inauguration of the newly elected Kwara State MACBAN Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Garba, the National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, said over 15,000 Fulani herders and their families have been forced to relocate outside Nigeria due to persistent attacks and fear for their lives.
He noted that Fulani pastoralists have suffered greatly from banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and terrorism, adding that more than 40,000 cattle have been lost to rustling, while many herders have been killed in the process.
“The Fulani are the worst victims of the security challenges we are facing,” Ngelzarma said.
He condemned the ethnic profiling of Fulani people as criminals, stating that such narratives, often spread on social media, do not reflect the true picture. He urged Nigerians not to generalize or label all Fulani herders as lawbreakers.
To address the crisis, the MACBAN president called for community-based solutions that would involve host communities, herders, and other stakeholders. He stressed the need for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among all ethnic groups.
Ngelzarma also revealed that the association is working to discourage the outdated practice of herders roaming with their cattle, noting that it is no longer sustainable due to population growth and land pressure. He said MACBAN is exploring the idea of settled herders’ communities to promote modern, peaceful cattle rearing.
MACBAN is the umbrella body of cattle breeders in Nigeria and has often played a key role in discussions around pastoralism, herder-farmer conflicts, and rural security.
