Northern Cattle Dealers Association of Nigeria has accused Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) of being behind the bloodshed perpetrated by killer herdsmen in the Southern part of the country.
The Imo state chapter of the group led by Ibrahim Salihi, made this accusation while paying a courtesy visit to the Chairman Elders Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, in Owerri.
The group alleged that Miyetti Allah is responsible for the widespread violence perpetrated by suspected killer-herdsmen in the South-East and other regions of the country.
According to the group, members of the Miyetti Allah always intervened whenever the killer herdsmen are arrested by security operatives either for destroying farmlands or other wicked activities, adding that after some days they would be freed.
Salihi noted: “Banditry did not start today, it started during Abacha regime, we have herders who came into Nigeria From Central Africa. There is an ethnic group in the Fulani tribe that are carrying AK 47, and are the most wicked people.
“The Miyetti Allah is not helping matters they are allying with this group, for instance, if your farms are destroyed by this group, the Miyetti Allah is supposed to intervene by asking the herders to pay compensation. But they are supporting this group who are doing this and carrying arms. The Miyetti Allah is encouraging these people to destroy farms.
“For example, you have your farm and I have my own and I destroy your own instead of saying sorry for destroying my farms you say that I will pay you, and if you pay me today and you don’t pay me tomorrow, I will be angry and I will cut your cow and from there the problem starts and they will invite their people from Niger to come and fight for them. Fulani man carrying guns is not a lie even us who are not with them they kill our cows.”
“Another problem is that the Federal Government is not doing enough, as they are not screening these people coming in from Central Africa into Nigeria. The Federal Government should check Fulanis coming into the country and even the state governments should do the same.
“Our reason for coming here is to appeal to Chief Iwuanyanwu, to intervene in the insecurity in the land and that our people from the North are calling us to come back to the North and that bandits are killing the northerners in the East.”