The national president, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman Ngelzarma, has lamented the incessant attacks on pastoralists in Plateau state.
He said the association has lost 200 pastoralists and over 40 settlements were burnt down by members of the Plateau State Operated Rainbow Security outfit and other militias.
The national president in a statement he signed Sunday in Abuja in response to the call for its members to be held accountable for the recent bloodletting in the Mangu local government area of Plateau state, he said the pastoralist are objects of attack after the election.
The association accused the state government for being deeply involved in the attacks against its members, like in several other attacks on pastoralist settlements.
He said: “The association has observed that since the 2023 elections, there has been an upsurge of violence against pastoralists in the state, particularly in Mangu, Barkin and Riyom local governments, partly as a result of political differences.
“While thousands of pastoralists have been displaced and left to fend for themselves with colossal damage to their economic activities and means of livelihood, the Plateau state government never extended any relief to them.
“The stigmatisation of pastoralists as not being indigenous in these areas make them legitimate targets of attack by the state operated Rainbow outfit and militias. These attacks have left the poor and vulnerable traumatised and have become target of hate,” he lamented.
He called on the federal government to disband with immediate effect the state operated Rainbow security outfit and bring to book the perpetrators and other actors to serve as deterrent to others as well as panacea to peace on the plateau.
“We reaffirmed that these pastoralists are bona fide Nigerians and indigenes of Plateau state and deserve the protection of their lives and property as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore, no amount of blackmail and intimidation will make them leave their homes,” he said.
