National President of herders’ union Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Baba-Othman Ngelzarma, on Saturday disclosed that Fulani people are like Niger Deltans, who were pushed into criminality by neglect and poverty.
MACBAN leader said pastoralists in the country have never been supported or assisted after losing their means of livelihood to insecurity.
Ngelzarma, who made this known in Abuja on Saturday, lamented that pastoralists have gone through hell and fire as they have virtually lost their source of livelihood.
He said, “In 2014, what we were addressing was the conflict between farmers and herders which gave room to small-scale cattle rustling.
“It started in Benue by a popular criminal called Gana. The cattle rustling grew and turned to an industrial scale after Gana initiated the pastoral youths into it.
“We started having a situation where thousands of cows were missing on a daily basis without any trace. For instance, in a community called Kachikoro in Niger State, in a single operation, 1,720 cows were rustled without any trace.
“When they got money from cow rustling and grew in sophistication, they metamorphosed into kidnapping. Because it’s easier to kidnap and request liquid cash that will be taken to them in the forest rather than taking 50 to 100 cows, roaming the forests, and suffering before you dispose of them. That’s how kidnapping became a lucrative business today in Nigeria.
“While cattle rustling was going on kidnapping was also going on. Millions of naira have vanished into cattle rustlers. When you see cattle rustlers moving away with your cows, and there is nothing you can do because of their sophistication. The security agencies also do nothing to them.
“Most families going through such situations have no Islamic or western education. In a situation where the entire family investment is being taken away in just a day, what the whole family depended on and they have no other skills apart from the rearing of cows; what do you think they will become?
“They easily became prey for initiation into criminality by the big merchants. That’s why whenever a gang of kidnappers were caught, you will find six Fulanis out of 10.
“When they are interrogated, they will tell you that the victim paid N10 million, but just N30 thousand was given to them out of the money.
“The Fulanis’ poverty and ignorance level is being exploited by those big merchants because they have no other options; no trade, no education and many more. They are like a drowning man that is being offered a double-edged sword, he has no option but to grab it.
“Fulanis are just like Niger Deltans. What pushed Niger Deltans into criminality was neglect and poverty.
“There has never been a time when pastoralists were supported or assisted after losing their means of livelihood to any form of insecurity in most parts of the country.
“Pastoralists have gone through hell and fire as they have virtually lost their source of livelihood.”
“They deserve support, orientation, training and education just like Niger Deltans,” he added.
