‘Establish Ministry of Nomadic Affairs’ – Miyetti Allah Tells FG

Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Association has called on the Federal Government to establish the Federal Ministry of Nomadic Affairs in the country as a step toward ending the Fulani-herders crisis in Nigeria.

The herders’ group made the call on Monday at the end of its expanded National Executive meeting with state chairmen of the association held in Abuja

According to them, establishing the ministry will broaden educational opportunities and address pastoralist challenges across the country.

A statement jointly signed by the association’s National President, Abdullahi Bodejo, and secretary, Saleh Alhassan, also called for the overhauling of Nigeria’s security and justice systems to address cases of injustice meted on its members.

Miyetti Allah alleged that many of its youths are illegally detained across correctional centers.

The nomadic association maintained that the immediate designation, gazetting, and development of all 415 grazing reserves across the country is the only first strategic step in addressing the challenges confronting Fulani Herders in Nigeria.

“This will include the building of earth dams and solar boreholes. Building of veterinary clinics. Development of Diary (milk) collection centres,” the statement said.

The group noted with dismay the recent massacre of Fulani pastoralists in Taraba State and called on the Inspector General of Police to set up a high-power panel to unmask those responsible for the dastardly acts and ensure justice is done to the victims’ families to avoid people resorting to self-help.

“The meeting dismissed the consistent claims of farmers-herders conflicts as a major setback of instability and insecurity in Nigeria. But rather the conflicts are exacerbated by activities of states sponsored vigilantes and tribal hordes who willfully continue to carry out extra-judicial killings of Fulani pastoralists,” the statement added.

The association’s leadership also condemned the continuous profiling of Fulani pastoralists by Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom through the anti-grazing law it said the governor has been using to officially constitute and auction cattle belonging to Fulanis in Benue-Nasarawa and Benue-Taraba border communities.

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‘Establish Ministry of Nomadic Affairs’ – Miyetti Allah Tells FG