Militants do not represent 14.5 million Fulani in Nigeria, says Miyetti Allah

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has distanced the Fulani community from criminal groups operating across the country, stating that recent claims about armed militants do not reflect the vast majority of Fulani citizens.

The association was responding to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which alleged that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria in groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 members. The report also stated that these militants have become some of the deadliest non‑state actors driving religious freedom violations in the country.

In a statement released on Friday, the national president of MACBAN, Baba Ngelzarma, said categorically that the estimated 30,000 active militants and bandits cited in the report do not and will never represent the 14.5 million peaceful Fulani citizens of Nigeria.

He noted that law‑abiding pastoralists are themselves primary victims of criminal syndicates, routinely suffering from cattle rustling, mass abductions, and retaliatory violence.

The association stated that it would not shield, make excuses for, or tolerate any individual or group engaging in violent criminality. It pledged full support for security agencies in tackling insecurity and disclosed that it had directed its zonal and state branches to strengthen intelligence‑sharing arrangements with security forces and traditional rulers to help identify and apprehend criminal elements.

MACBAN also condemned terrorism, banditry, and targeted killings across the country, regardless of the ethnic or religious identities of the perpetrators. The association called on Nigerians, security agencies, and the media to avoid ethnic profiling, warning that collective stigmatisation of pastoralists could undermine efforts to combat insecurity and promote national cohesion.

It further urged the Federal Government and development partners to support ongoing efforts to modernise livestock production through ranching and other initiatives aimed at reducing conflicts associated with open grazing. According to the association, lasting peace can only be achieved through justice, dialogue, security cooperation, and economic reforms that address the root causes of conflict.