John Shiklam in Kaduna
The Patrotic Christian Youths of Nigeria (PCYN) has accused the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) for allegedly supporting the activities of murderous fulani herdsmen.
The group expressed disappointment with MACBAN over its stand on the recent crisis in Taraba state, which led to the killing of many people
Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, President of PCYN, Timothy Nasso said MACBAN as an umbrella body for the fulanis has become the defender of murderous herdsmen whose activities have become a nightmare to every community in Nigeria.
The group also maintained that the federal government’s sudden interest in the Taraba crisis and the immediate deployment of top government officials to the state when violence broke out between the natives and herdsmen in Sardauna local government area of the state smacks of bias.
According to Nasso, the action of the federal government in Taraba state has clearly shown that the government considers some people more important than others considering the fact that the government had never sent such a delegation to other communities that had been ravaged by herdsmen.
“We have no intention of joining issues with MACBAN, but the brazen approval by certain officials of the President Buhari administration has left much to be desired.
“Without mincing words, we want to state that MACBAN as an umbrella body for the fulanis has suddenly become the defender of murderous herdsmen whose activities have become a nightmare to every community in Nigeria.
“These murderers have continued to unleash havoc and rendered many people homeless, their deadly activities have destroyed economic and commercial activities of communities. With their sophisticated weapons, they invade communities at will.
The manner in which they invade the communities and chase out the natives and subsequently occupied their land, is a clear indication that they are waging a jihad.
“For MACBAN to shamelessly accuse the Taraba state government for setting up a commission of inquiry to investigate the causes of the incessant attacks on the people as promoting genocide, to say the least, is shameful†the group said.
“The sudden interest which the federal government showed by immediately deploying the minister of interior, Gen. Abdulrahaman Danbazau (rtd), minister of Women Affairs, Senator Jumai A’isha Alhassan, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the General Officer Commanding, 3rd Amoured Division (GOC), Maj. Gen Benjamin Ahanato and Senator Yusuf from Taraba Central Senatorial zone is an indication that the government has vested interest in the Taraba crisis.
“In spite of the massive killing of people by fulani herdsmen in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, Enugu, Ebonyi among several others, the federal government had never shown this kind of interest, not even the deployment of security to the areas to fish out the bandits†the group observed.
