Sequel to reports making the rounds that the Federal Government is offering the Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) the sum of N100 billion as a form of compensation or to halt the purported criminality among herdsmen, the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) has warned government against advancing such huge sum for any form of compensation.
The group equally warned that if government succumbed to such kind of demands, then it would set a dangerous precedence.
Speaking through its National Chairman, Alhaji Sale Bayeri, in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the group said if the reports and speculation about the government’s N100 billion advancement to Miyetti Allah is true, then there are better ways to empower herdsmen and that dealing with a particular group, which has become political, will not help the situation.
Bayeri said, “I have been hearing that the Federal Government is dealing with Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN). One of the areas is that the government wants to compensate herdsmen who have lost their means of livelihood, which is cattle.
“The meeting took place In Birnin Kebbi and I understood that the DG State Security Service (SSS), the DG National Intelligent Agency (NIA), the Inspector General of Police, the Governor of Kebbi State and the Minister of Interior were all there.
“When the meeting took place, what I heard was that the government will also be giving some funds to the tune of N100 Billion in order to halt arm banditry among herdsmen. I was expecting them to say arm banditry among Miyetti-Allah since it was them they called, but they said arm banditry among herdsmen. Though I cannot confirm the outcome of the N100 billion, but I reliably learnt that reasonable millions of Naira was given to the leaders of the Miyetti-Allah.
“What government is doing is setting a dangerous precedence, because it would simply mean that any association who wants to be relevant and invited by government will have to have an arm of armed bandits to qualify for government patronage. This is very dangerous.
“And the federal government should understand too that it is very dangerous to reward criminality with government resources. This is because this cannot be sustainable.
“After giving them such huge sum, give them some few years the money will not be there any longer, and I bet you that in this particular case, the money will not be invested for the well-being of herdsmen.
“When the money is finished, those people will want to go back for more funds from the government. So, if this is true the government should shelve that plan at once,” he advised.
He noted if the government wants to assist the herdsmen in the country, they should set up a proper committee and it should be done through a commission like that of the Niger-Delta as well as through the Ministry of Agriculture.
Bayeri said, by doing the aforementioned, the committee or commission will look for memoranda from every registered Fulani association with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The Chairman said they have about seven herdsmen association with good membership and reasonable control of herdsmen in the country, but that the government chose to deal with one association.
He said in their own association, they don’t have criminal elements that will go and meet government to give them money so that they can stop criminal activities, despite the fact that they are found in the six geo-political zones of the country and have official in the zones.
According to him, Miyetti Allah has become an appendage of a political party since 2014, but that notwithstanding there are many ways government can patronize any tribal or cultural association without necessarily making them a kind of security outfit because it is entirely unconstitutional and unknown to any law in the country.
“What we have in GAFDAN is a security working partnership with the office of the Inspector General of Police and we have a covert vigilante group that supply us information about criminal activities of herdsmen or that of our members. We then work with security operatives in the country to help stop the dangerous tide.
“So, I’m really baffled to hear that government is seeing or negotiating with one association. I do not know under which basis such should happen, and I do not know the blueprint they gave to the government that such large sum should be given to them,” he maintained.
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