Banditry: We Have Lost 15,000 Members – Miyetti Allah

National president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Othman Baba Ngazalma, has disclosed that the Fulanis are the worst victims of banditry as a total of 15,000 pastoralists were killed while over 4million others were displaced in the last 10 years.

He explained that the pastoralists across the country, particularly within the North West and North Central states suffered unprecedented casualties in the hands of criminally minded elements.

The MACBAN leader disclosed this to journalists in Minna after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association held at the weekend in Paiko Town Hall.

He stated that as a result of the activities of bandits they are at the receiving end from both ends – from the bandits through constant attacks compared to other Nigerians and – from Nigerians tagging them as the perpetrators.

He alleged that because they are seen as suspects those who are to protect them were looting and killing their cattle as the bandits were rustling it.

Consequently, he said MACBAN has mapped out strategies to shape the behaviour of the Fulani youths across the country against all forms of crimes and criminality bedeviling the country.

“We have deliberated extensively on how to fish out bad eggs among the pastoralists in the fold and how to sensitize them against the use of illicit drugs and to check the proliferation of small arms and light weapons within the pastoralists community,” he said.

He noted that the association under his leadership is disturbed over the increasing rates of hardship and the high cost of food in the country stating that the association has decided to help the government to solve the food crisis in the country.