By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Following the policy report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that was issued on May 08, 2026, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has distanced itself and the generality of Fulani people across the country from involvement in banditry or security atrocities.
The Fulbe sociocultural organization pledged to collaborate with relevant agencies in intelligence gathering to tackle the insecurity bedeviling the country.
This is contained in a statement issued by the MACBAN and signed by the National President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma issue to Journalists on Saturday.
Ngelzarma noted that the association carefully reviewed the report and welcomes its crucial nuance in distinguishing the millions of peaceful, law-abiding Fulani citizens from the decentralized criminal networks and militant cells tearing at the fabric of the nation.
He said that to safeguard our collective future, ensure justice for all victims, “MACBAN reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest possible terms, of all acts of terrorism, banditry, and targeted killings across Nigeria, regardless of the ethnicity or religion of the perpetrators.
“We are deeply pained by the heinous attacks carried out by decentralized militant cells against farming and herding communities alike.
“We specifically decry any assault on sacred places of worship-whether they be churches in the North Central Nigeria or mosques in the Northwest, North East and other parts of Nigeria.
“Attacking citizens during religious holidays or holy prayers is a supreme evil that violates both the laws of God and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Criminality has no religion, and it has no ethnicity.
“We state categorically that the estimated 30,000 active militants and bandits cited in the USCRIF brief do not, and will never, represent the 14.5 million peaceful Fulani citizens of this country.
“As MACBAN has posited in several reports and statements, law-abiding pastoralists are themselves primary victims of these criminal syndicates, routinely suffering from cattle rustling, mass abductions, and retaliatory violence.
“MACBAN will not shield, make excuses for, or tolerate any individual or group engaging in violent criminality. We are actively directing our zonal and state branches to formalize and deepen closed-door intelligence-sharing channels with federal security forces and local traditional rulers.
“We pledge our full cooperation to help law enforcement detect, isolate, and flush out criminal elements using our forests and borderlands as cover.
“While we acknowledge the severe security challenges facing our nation, we call on our fellow Nigerians, local security outfits, and media institutions to resist the dangerous temptation of sweeping ethnic profiling.
“The broad stigmatization of traditional herders only serves the agenda of divisive political actors and violent extremists who thrive on polarization. This is especially crucial given the period we are in as preparations for the 2027 elections are ongoing and campaigning will soon commence.
“When peaceful, hardworking herders are collectively punished for the crimes of a lawless minority, it alienates vulnerable populations and damages the social trust required to build a robust local defense against insurgency.
“MACBAN recognizes that population growth, environmental degradation, and climate-driven desertification have structurally transformed the reality of land use in Nigeria.
“To permanently eliminate the friction points associated with open-grazing routes, MACBAN is fully committing to leading our members from the front in the transition toward modernized, sedentary livestock management.
He assured that MACBAN will be actively partnering with the Federal Government and participating state executives to accelerate the implementation of the ranching initiative.
“We urge both federal and international development partners to support our pastoralist families with the necessary training, credit facilities, and infrastructure required to make this economic and social transition successful.
“True security cannot be achieved through the barrel of a gun or the proliferation of unaccountable, independent vigilante groups.
MACBAN calls for an immediate halt to the arming of unregulated self-defence groups, which only triggers cycles of bloody reprisal.
“Instead, we demand swift, even-handed justice from state and federal authorities to prosecute all known perpetrators of violence, whether they are herders or farmers. Concurrently, MACBAN has plans to launch a renewed nationwide campaign for grassroots, interethnic, and interfaith town-hall dialogues.
“We stand ready to sit at the table with Christian and Muslim farmer associations, traditional councils, and civil society to establish joint local peace committees” the statement said.