Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has opened up on the threats by a faceless ‘Fulani Jihadists’ group to attack Delta State.
MACBAN said it has nothing to do with the threat, noting that the group is out to tarnish the image of pastoralists and Fulanis.
This was disclosed by the National Secretary of the group, Othman Ngelzarma during an interview session on Channels TV. He stressed that the threat from the group should not be taken seriously as it was made by mischief-makers.
“Such statements that come from faceless unknown groups shouldn’t be given any serious consideration. I believe this statement must be coming from mischief-makers, people who are out to tarnish the image of the Fulanis and pastoralists.
“It is because of such negative profiling by the media that makes us believe that the anti-open grazing laws being intended to be promulgated by the southern states are not laws stopping open grazing, but I believe these laws are laws against Fulanis living in the southern part of the country.
“The Northern governors must be up and doing and they must also begin to open discussions with their southern counterparts for them to put their heads together and come up with a solution that can work for both the north and the south,” he said.
“Respecting the fundamental human rights of the pastoralists as citizens. Their right to movement, their right to pray, their right to trade, their right to liberty.” He added.
The New Diplomat earlier reported that the Fulani group had given Governor Okowa 72 hours to withdraw his stance and support for the ban on open grazing, threatening to invade and bomb the state capital, Asaba, and Agbor, headquarters of Ika South Local Government Area of the state if he failed to do so.
Governors of states in the southern region of the country had met in Asaba in May 2021 over the increasing spate of insecurity in the country, where they decided to place a ban on open grazing.
However, a militant group, Movement for the Emancipation and the Defence of the Niger Delta (MEND), while reacting to the threat by the ‘Fulani Jihadists’ had vowed to launch three rockets and ballistic missiles at any facility of their choice in the North.
