*Says herders are no criminals

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breaders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) yesterday, fought back over the claim that Fulani herdsmen are criminals, saying most of kidnappers and rapists hail from Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Bauchi and Katsina States. MACBAN Chairman in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Hussaini, who disclosed this accused visitors from the far North and their children of causing problem in the state. “‘Most of the kidnappers in the state were from Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Bauchi and Kasina states among others who have caused security problems in their respective states”, Hussain said at a meeting of MACBAN in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital. The Miyetti Allah leader, who, however, regretted that their members were also siding and abating criminal activities, said  the action of some of their members was portraying the   entire Fulani in   a bad light, as they were now being branded kidnappers and armed robbers. He called on every Fulani family to expose criminals among them to show the world that they were good and peaceful people. “Majority of the kidnapped victims are Fulani people because our people are living in the bush and are vulnerable to the activities of criminals”. The MACBAN Chairman said Nasarawa State belongs to them, hence the need for all leaders of the social cultural group to restrategise and expose bad elements among them for prosecution. “How can we allow few strangers from other states to tarnish our image? Look at what happened in Udege – Loko Road where these strangers, our children together with some indegenious tribe of the area, whisk away 30 people to an unknown destination?”. “Let’s us restrategize, if your son, brother or anyone you know is among these bad eggs, bring them out or the law will take its course on you the leaders”. Hussaini illiteracy and hard drugs as the major factors pushing people into crime, hence the need for security agents to rise up to their responsibility of reducing crime. Also speaking, Lawal Dono, Chairman of Ardos in Nasarawa State, said as leaders, they would not harbour criminal elements, assuring that they would direct their people to provide  security agencies with relevant information about criminal elements since they are the ones  in the bush. Leaders of some of the local government chapters of MACBAN in Nasarawa said some arrests were based on their efforts, challenging other tribes in the state to also accord same a priority to complement the efforts of security agents in the fight against insecurity.

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Miyetti Allah: Kidnappers, rapists are from Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Bauchi, Katsina