Benue killings : Miyetti Allah holds meeting with herdsmen

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has met with herdsmen from Benue and Nasarawa State following the recent killings in Yelwata.

The group strongly condemned the deadly attack which took place in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

This was disclosed by the association’s National President, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, during a meeting held on Thursday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

The gathering included MACBAN members from both Benue and Nasarawa states.

Addressing the attendees, Othman-Ngelzarma called on herders in the region to embrace peaceful coexistence and resolve any disputes with farmers amicably. He also encouraged them to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its efforts to restore peace in affected communities.

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The MACBAN leader emphasized that the meeting aimed to discourage any form of reprisal by herders, stressing that taking the law into one’s hands would only escalate tensions.

“Two wrongs can never make a right,” he said.

Othman-Ngelzarma described the ongoing conflict between herders and farmers as one of the most painful challenges facing Northern Nigeria. He lamented the loss of lives, livestock, and property, as well as the destruction of livelihoods on both sides.

Reiterating the importance of harmony, he urged MACBAN members to lead efforts in promoting peace:“Our pastoral way of life can only continue to thrive if we live in peace with our neighbours, as such, we must actively engage in peace-building initiatives,” he said.

He also praised the roles of federal, state, and local governments, along with civil society organisations, for their contributions to easing tensions in the region.

“We must disown, isolate, and deal with elements within our ranks that promote confrontation and criminality.Let me make it clear that violence is not a solution. Retaliation is not justice. We must now embrace dialogue, empathy and mutual understanding,” he said.

Othman-Ngelzarma urged traditional leaders of Fulani heritage to take a more prominent role in fostering dialogue and reconciliation. He highlighted the importance of empowering youth with skills and knowledge to become peace ambassadors rather than tools of violence.

“We must also empower our youths with knowledge, skills, and opportunities for constructive livelihoods and use them as peace ambassadors instead of using them as agents of destruction,” he said.

He commended President Tinubu for visiting victims of the crisis in Benue and reaffirmed MACBAN’s commitment to peace-building.

“The President’s presence among the victims of these unfortunate crises has rekindled hope because the country belongs to all of us, farmers, herders, settlers and indigenes.To our brothers and sisters in the farming communities, we need you, and you need us because agriculture and livestock are two sides of the same coin.One cannot thrive without the other. Let us talk. Let us forgive. Let us plan together,” he added.

Othman-Ngelzarma further assured that the Federal Government was determined to address the root causes of the conflict and ensure an inclusive approach to peace.

Also present at the meeting, Ardo Mohammed Risku, the Benue State Chairman of MACBAN, thanked the national president for taking active steps toward reconciliation. Risku pledged to deliver the message of peace to their communities and committed to identifying and removing criminal elements among the herders.

He also criticized what he described as indiscriminate arrests of innocent herders by security agencies.

“There is nothing wrong if a criminal is arrested, but how can you explain situations where innocent herders are arrested simply because of their ethnicity,” he said.

The meeting drew attendance from MACBAN leaders in Benue and Nasarawa, along with representatives from security agencies including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.