Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), South East zone, Alh. Gidado Sidikki, has said the decision to block the supply of food items from North to South, by the Amalgamated Union of Food and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, was inappropriate, even if their grievances are genuine.
The MACABAN leader who made the statement in an interview LEADERSHIP Newspaper, said the food dealers’ association leadership earlier wrote a letter to his group inviting them to join in the protest explaining that the planned food items blockade was to protest against incessant killings and destructions of their members’ properties in various part of the country but that his association did not accept the invitation.
He added however, saying while he's not in support of food blockade, leaders in the South should do more to ensure that law abiding herdsmen who are in the South strickly for economic reasons, are protected.
Reacting to the order by the governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano on Monday during which the governor directed the security agencies to treat any herdsman found carrying an AK-47 gun as “criminal”, he said the governor’s order has the full backing of his association.
Governor Obiano had during the security meeting which was even attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, and heads of all security agencies in the state, including the police, Directorate of State Security Services (SSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Army, FRSC and other stakeholders -traditional rulers, state vigilante groups, leaderships of town unions ordered that any herdsman found carrying an AK-47 should be treated as a “criminal ” adding that fresh census of all bonafide herdsmen operating in the state should be conducted, and locations of their operations noted.
In his reaction, the South East zonal chairman of Miyetti Allah stated that the governor’s directive was in line with the agreement already reached between the governors of the South East states and his association that any herder found with a gun should be treated as a criminal.
He said that the leadership of Miyetti Allah in the South East zone under his watch, do screen prospective cattle herder who come into the region before such person would be allow to graze.
“My members have been having good relationship with their host communities, in spite of some isolated cases of misunderstanding, which is normal in every human existence.”
“Our interest in the zone is purely economic” he said, insisting that no herder was interested in contesting the ownership of land with members of their host communities.
He however pleaded with members of host communities not to latch on the governor’s order and begin to kill his members, rustle their cattle or destroy their properties on trump up allegations that they were found carrying guns.
Though he commend the efforts of governments in the South east zone for securing the area against banditry, Sidikki, however, stated that much still needed to be done to ensure that law-abiding citizens, including herders were free to carry out their businesses without hindrance in order to make life better for every Nigerian.