The Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (CBAN), also known as Miyetti Allah, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately issue a presidential directive to all relevant security agencies to ensure the safety and protection of pastoralist communities across the country.
In a statement released on Friday, April 18, 2025, the national secretary-general of the association, Bello Gotomo, called for urgent government action to put an end to what he referred to as the discriminatory practices and increasing insecurity facing herders in various states, particularly in Ondo State.
Gotomo expressed deep concern over the alleged ethnic profiling, harassment, and scapegoating of herders, with specific reference to recent troubling incidents at Opere Market in Kabba Local Government Area, Kogi State, where several herders were allegedly subjected to illegal arrests and brutal treatment. The statement highlighted the growing dangers and injustice faced by herders simply due to their profession and ethnicity.
“The Nigerian government must take responsibility for ensuring that justice is served, and that the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds, are protected,” Gotomo stated in the release. He emphasized the need for equality and fairness for pastoralist communities who have continued to face attacks, threats, and violations of their basic rights.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria also called on the federal government, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the international community to intervene immediately. Gotomo stressed the urgency of addressing the escalating violence and discriminatory actions against herders, urging all relevant authorities to take swift and decisive action to safeguard the rights of the pastoralist communities.
Furthermore, Gotomo appealed to the National Security Adviser to prioritize the protection of herders, noting the alarming trend of increased violence, persecution, and unlawful treatment of herders. He also highlighted the need for strengthened legal frameworks to ensure justice and the rights of all Nigerians are upheld, regardless of their background.
The group concluded by appealing to the National Human Rights Commission and the international community to act promptly and address what they described as a growing and dangerous pattern of discrimination and injustice against herders, stressing that such actions could destabilize the peaceful coexistence of different communities in Nigeria.