The Secretary-General of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria, Ngelzeerma Usman, has stated that one of its chairman in the Gwagwalada area council was killed with one Gwari man and two other persons after they were ambushed by bandits and killed while four other people were also kidnapped in the process on April 7 around 8 o’clock in the evening.
He said, “they were coming from a cattle market on the road to Daku village. They took away from them the proceeds of the cows they sold and they are demanding N100m ransom to free those kidnapped. Are our members different from the other public members? Of course, not. Their cattle are being taken away by bandits on a daily basis; they are being kidnapped and killed by bandits.
“It is the same thing that is happening to communities in the North-West and the northeastern part of the country. Our people are not different from other citizens that are coming under attacks by bandits. We understand that, as an association, we must safeguard the interest and welfare of our members. When things like this happen, we always ask government to take action and protect everybody in society. The way these things are happening is really scary and our members are the most affected,” he said.
According to him, “since majority of these bandits belong to the same ethnic group as you, has your association tried speaking to them, to persuade them to stop these unprovoked attacks? There is no doubt that a large number of them are Fulani, but this, of course, does not stop them from killing many (of our people) and taking away cows from the pasture at the same time.
“A criminal can come from any tribe and they don’t select their victims. Whoever comes their way; they kill, kidnap and take away their cows. However, our appeal to the government is, though they are doing their best, they should redouble their efforts in protecting the cattle breeders and other Nigerians alike against the activities of this criminal group.
“These are difficult times for the pastoralists because after being kidnapped, whatever money they make from selling cattle in the market they give to the bandits as ransom to secure their freedom. Yet that’s the only source of livelihood they have. When you kidnap their wives, daughters and others relations, the only option they have is to sell their cows to pay the ransom and rescue their loved ones from being held hostage.
“The way these things are going on are alarming and that’s why we call on the Federal Government to double up efforts in bringing peace to the pastoral industry in the country because not all pastoralists are criminals. Some of them are criminals, we know, but the majority are legitimate cattle rearers doing their business,” he added. (Story adapted from The PUNCH)
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