Press "Enter" to skip to content

Benue Killings: Why is everyone misquoting Miyetti Allah?

Despite several clarifications and claims of non-involvement in the killing of over 20 persons in Benue State, many still believe that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), are the suspected herdsmen that carried out the attack.

The Secretary-General of MACBAN, Mr. Othman Ngelzarma, had said in an interview that the members of the Association are peaceful people and not killers as widely purported by the Media.

“We call them killers, don’t call them the herdsmen. We have our share of criminals too. So all these senseless killings must stop, either from the pastoralists or from the communities.”

Ngelzarma stated that herders have been in the Country for several years, living peacefully with the people with no record of attacks.

“Look at the herdsmen that we are dealing with. 10, 20, 30 years back, these were the people we were dealing with peacefully. Why can’t we ask ourselves, what is happening now?.”

He noted that the killings in the various States across the Country have a political undertone, and should not be blamed on religion, adding that the Association has also suffered loss of lives and cows.

According to him, on Christmas Eve last year, members of the Association lost 200 to 300 cows between Cross-River and Akwa-Ibom State, and another similar situation was recorded in Enugu State.

Ngelzarma iterated that before now, herdsmen are seen as peaceful people but the recent crisis ravaging the Country has placed them on the black-list of the public.

The recent attack on the people of Guma and Logo local Government Areas of the State between Monday and Tuesday has seen many, including the Media, attributing it to Fulani Herdsmen.

After the attack, the President of the Association, Benue Chapter, Garus Gololo, said in an interview with BBC Pidgin that 1000 cows were stolen from them as they attempted to move out from the State to Taraba, to which they defended themselves and their property.

Gololo further stated that crisis broke out in the process, which led to the loss of lives.

His explanation was later misrepresented by Media houses, as a revenge attack by members of the Association, with many headlines reading; “Fulani herdsmen revealed why they attacked Benue Communities”, “Why we attacked Benue Communities – Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders”.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Association, Yusuf Ardo’s, condemnation of the attack and request for the arrest of perpetrators could not exonerate MACBAN from the Media onslaught.

“We are peace-loving people, we believe in love for one another. Any Fulani pastoralist that doesn’t believe in peace is not part of us.”

This is not the first time the MACBAN has condemned attacks carried out by these faceless killers tagged as ‘herdsmen’ by the public.

In May 2015, the Association denied involvement in the attack of two villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State which claimed more than 20 lives.

In January 2017, MACBAN denied claims that its members were responsible for the attacks in Southern Kaduna that claimed many lives in September 2016.

“We wish to condemn a concocted story by one Luka Binniyat, the Kaduna Correspondent of Vanguard Newspapers in 2016 during Godogodo attacks, that our Chairman said Fulani claimed responsibility for the attacks.

“Our Chairman did not talk with him and we challenge him to provide evidence or retract that fake statement attributed to our chairman and apologise to our great association or may face a legal action,” the Assistant National Secretary General said.

In March 2017, after the clash between alleged suspected herders and the Tiv farmers in Buruku Local Government Area of the Benue State, the Association commiserated with the people of the Community.

“We consider this crisis as a serious setback to our collective desire for peace in Benue State and the Nation in general.

“We assure you of our support and cooperation in adopting all measures to determine the root causes of the unfortunate happening. MACBAN will not accept any act of violence by whosoever under any pretext.,” the Secretary General said.

In July that same year, the Association stated that the porous nature of the Nigeria borders is responsible for the entry and exit of the armed men dubbed as ‘herdsmen’ which has made it difficult for Government to apprehend the killers.

According to MACBAN Assistant National Secretary General, Ibrahim Abdullahi: “In Nigeria, our borders are porous, people come in anytime and go out anytime they want, in fact it is a shameful thing today that we don’t even know those that are indigenous Fulani or the trans-human Fulani.

“We don’t know and that is why people mixed things up, you begin to suspect the Fulani man that you grew up with when anything happens.  He has not traveled far where, did he get the AK 47.”

Such clarifications and criticisms are hardly properly covered by the media houses as web traffic defines truth and negative news and conspiracy theories sell faster.

Facebook Comments
ETN24 - Explaining the News is about putting News in the correct context to promote understanding and education. We believe News should educate, not agitate. Our dedication is to fighting Fake and Sensational News, as well as to keep an eye on the media to ensure our peace and sanity are not sold for traffic.