Gumi asks FG to establish nomadic affairs ministry to address ‘grievances of herders’

Ahmad Gumi, a prominent Islamic cleric, has called for the establishment of a ministry of nomadic affairs to address the grievances of herders.

Gumi said this on Wednesday at the ‘Pastoralists and Fulbe Security Conference’, held in Abuja with the theme, ‘Exploring the contemporary security challenges facing pastoralists and Fulbe in Nigeria’.

The event was jointly organised by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and northern consensus movement (NCM).

The cleric said the Fulani herders and other aggrieved groups should be accorded the same treatment given to Niger Delta militants.

“Government should focus more attention on these people because they always say that they are aggrieved,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“What I expect from the government is nothing less than what it did, when the Niger Delta youths were vandalising the economy.

“These people are also disturbing the Nigerian agriculture which is the backbone of national economy.

“I think the government needs to be more proactive. They need attention. The least they need is the ministry of nomadic affairs that will look into their affairs.”

Husseini Bosso, national president of MACBAN, in his address, said it was no longer news that kidnappings and armed banditry had become the order of the day in many communities in the country.

Bosso, however, said contrary to speculations that pastoralists are behind such crimes, herders are also victims.

“What is baffling is that crimes perpetuated against pastoralists have no traction in the media. Our members have been the highest victims of criminality,” he said.

“MACBAN chairmen in Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa states and five other local government chairmen, including Gwagwalada area council, were all recently abducted and killed.

“This buttresses the fact that we are not spared from the atrocities of the kidnappings and banditry in our communities.”