The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has asked the federal government to ignore the request of Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, to declare the association as a terrorist organisation.
Hours after the federal government gazetted an order designating bandits as terrorists, Ortom had said the security challenges in some parts of the country, including Benue, will be adequately addressed if the same position is taken on MACBAN.
But reacting, Baba Ngelzarma, national secretary of MACBAN, described Ortom’s request as “unpatriotic”.
Ngelzarma alleged that Ortom’s hatred for the Fulani “was not in doubt”, adding that “he has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is an unreliable leader”.
The national secretary said the association had contributed to peacebuilding in Benue, adding that MACBAN has spared no efforts in helping the people of the state to live in peace with the pastoralists.
