Fulani leaders in Nigeria are worried about the problems faced by cattle herders. They say if these problems aren’t fixed, they might stop selling their animals all over the country.
At a meeting called the Fulbe National Security Summit, organized by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman Ngelzarma, the head of MACBAN, talked about the unfair treatment of herders.
He said the government hasn’t done enough to solve the problems causing conflicts and difficulties for the Fulani community.
Ngelzarma, along with leaders from other Fulani groups, claimed that herders often face discrimination and mistreatment from security forces and local groups. They feel pushed out of their homes and jobs.
The summit talked about a report from a past meeting about farmer-herder conflicts and suggested that people who understand Fulani culture should help solve these issues.
They also said that Fulani groups don’t support crimes like stealing and kidnapping, as they’ve often been victims themselves.
The leaders pointed out various problems like crime, lack of education, and land issues affecting the Fulani community.
They want the government to work with Fulani leaders and security forces to solve these issues.
They also mentioned concerns about grazing land being taken over and suggested better management of these areas to help herders.
They want to keep a special agency focused on educating nomadic children because many of them don’t go to school.
The leaders also called for more support for the livestock industry to feed Nigeria’s growing population.
They reminded everyone that Fulani herders have the right to move around the country as provided by a regional agreement.
They appreciated one state for including Fulani people in their local security groups and urged other states to do the same.
Lastly, they emphasized the importance of education for Fulani children and urged the government to address hate speech targeting Fulani people on social media.
