Miyetti Allah urges US to halt sanctions, denies militia tag
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has officially asked the United States Congress to retract its recent suggestion for targeted sanctions, which came after legislators connected the group to purported violations of religious freedom in Nigeria.
On November 4, House Representative Christopher Smith introduced a resolution advocating for visa bans and asset freezes on members of MACBAN and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
The resolution also recommended including “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” operating specifically in Benue and Plateau States on the Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) list, as outlined under the International Religious Freedom Act.
At a press conference held in Abuja on Sunday, MACBAN President Baba Othman Ngelzarma confirmed that the association had communicated with the US Congress through the American Embassy, urgently asking that lawmakers exclude its name from the proposed list.
Ngelzarma stated, “We reject the misleading and incomplete assertions contained in the resolution.” He firmly asserted the group's legal status, declaring, “MACBAN is a lawful socio-cultural and economic association registered with the Federal Government since 1986. We are not a militia; we are not a violent organization.”
He stressed that the US resolution incorrectly merges criminal gangs, which operate independently, with law-abiding pastoralists who, he contends, are themselves victims of the escalating and worsening security issues in Nigeria.
MACBAN presented detailed statistics illustrating the casualties endured by herding communities over the past decade, noting that from 2015 to 2025, 18,600 pastoralists were killed, 1.29 million were displaced, 87,543 homes were destroyed, over one million cattle were rustled or killed, and several MACBAN state executives were assassinated for assisting security agencies.
Ngelzarma referenced these statistics to refute the allegations, asserting, “These figures indicate a community under siege, not one that is instigating violence.”
He also pointed out MACBAN’s tangible efforts in promoting peace within society through collaborative actions with security agencies, which include the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as traditional leaders and international partners like USAID, Mercy Corps, Search for Common Ground, and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
The US Congress is set to conduct a hearing on Thursday regarding President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
Leave A Comment