By Ojo Sola Olusegun
Kaduna
The Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has threatened to charge the Nigerian military to court to seek redress over the “brutal killings, intimidation, harassment and infringement on the rights of its members.”
In a statement issued by its National Secretary, Baba Usman Ngelzarma, in Kaduna at the weekend, the association frowned upon the level of injustice meted on them.
It said: “We want to draw your attention to the gruesome killings of some of our members in Saminaka town, in Lere local government, Kaduna state, where six members of our association were sent to their early grave. Samaila Muhammadu, Isa Sule, Saleh Hassan, Mati Usman and two others on May 21, 2014, were arrested in Kunkuru village while returning from their grazing point in the South to Jigawa state as it is now the rainy season in the North.
“The six members, in company of other five among them minors, were arrested by officers of Special Military Task Force. One of them was shot on the leg while the six died of gunshot and torture.
“MACBAN sees this as brutal and deliberately planned in eliminating our members and it is more painful when security agents are involved.”
It added: “MACBAN has petitioned security agencies and the state government on the continuous harassment and killings of our members. It is ideal to investigate before dispensation of justice, even though one in question is a criminal, the law permits that he should be tried or given fair hearing before prosecution, especially where the person is not guilty of any offence.
“The authorities should investigate because they use traditional leaders of villages to infringe on people’s right. If anyone commits any offence or you are suspicion about someone in your domain, nothing stops you from contacting the leadership of the Miyyeti Allah and Ardo who were inaugurated by the traditional rulers to serve as intermediary and representatives of the Fulani. But you carry laws into your hands by killing the person without reaching his leaders to ascertain if he is a bonafide member.
“We demand that the military authority to, as a matter of urgency, identify soldiers responsible for this gruesome killing of our members. We also demand the payment of compensation to the said victim’s families by the military.”
MACBAN also called on the Southern Kaduna People’s Union to respect and adhere to the peace pact that they both signed.
