The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has strongly criticised the new Resolution 860 introduced in the United States House of Representatives, arguing that the proposal misrepresents pastoral communities and ignores the long period of hardship they have endured in Nigeria’s rural regions.
In a detailed briefing held on Sunday, the National President of the association, Baba Ngelzarma, appealed to lawmakers in the United States Congress to revisit the resolution. According to him, the document, which seeks to impose measures such as visa bans and the freezing of assets on individuals or groups allegedly linked to religious persecution, unfairly targets pastoralists without considering their vulnerability in years of violent conflicts. Okay News reports.
Ngelzarma said that the resolution fails to highlight how pastoral families across several Nigerian states have repeatedly been victims of attacks by cattle rustlers, armed militias, extremist cells, and vigilante groups. He stressed that the introduction of the resolution by Representative Christopher Smith and his co-sponsor, Representative Bill Huizenga, paints a misleading picture of pastoralist involvement in Nigeria’s insecurity.
The proposal recommends sanctions on Macban and several Fulani-led organisations, and also calls for the inclusion of “Fulani Ethnic Militias” from multiple states in Nigeria on the “Entities Of Particular Concern” list under the International Religious Freedom Act.
However, the association dismissed every allegation linking it to armed operations or extremist networks. Ngelzarma stated firmly that Macban has never sponsored or harboured criminals.
According to him, “Macban respectfully calls for revising H.R. 860 to remove all mention of Macban. We wish to state clearly and without ambiguity: Macban does not support, condone, harbour, finance, or protect any form of criminality, extremism, or violence. Macban is not and has never been an armed group or violent organisation. We condemn in the strongest possible terms banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, terrorism, or any crime whatsoever.”
He emphasised that insecurity has hit pastoral communities severely over the last decade. Citing updated data, he narrated that between 2015 and 2025, more than 18,640 pastoralists were killed, over 1,298,802 displaced, 87,543 homes destroyed, and more than 1,114,519 cattle rustled or killed. He added that over 656,555 goats, sheep, and other small animals were lost during the same period across seventeen states in Nigeria.
“These losses represent not only human tragedy but also a massive blow to Nigeria’s livestock economy and national food systems,” the association said.
The association also stated that several leaders within its network have been targeted for assassination due to their cooperation with Nigerian security agencies, including chairmen from Katsina, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Plateau States. It further disclosed that its National Vice President (One), Engr. Munnir Atiku Lamido, has been missing since June 2023 while travelling from Katsina to Kaduna.
Macban urged the United States Congress to work with local communities, government agencies, civil society actors, and traditional institutions to obtain fair, evidence-based assessments rather than relying on accounts that generalise entire ethnic groups.
According to the association, a more sustainable approach would include improving rural security and investing in grazing reserves, veterinary services, water systems, healthcare access, and education for pastoral families. The group added, “We do not seek protection because we are violent; we ask for support because we are under threat.”
