MIYETTI Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of abandoning herders, since his re-election victory in 2019.

This came as the association clarified it was yet to endorse any candidate for the 2023 presidential election. National President of MACBAN, Baba Ngelzarma, stated this in a chat with journalists in Abuja, at the weekend.

Ngelzarma, who condemned profiling and killing of Fulani in the country, said despite billions of naira budgeted for the development of agriculture, little or nothing has been earmarked for animal husbandry.

He said neglect by government and frustration were responsible for criminal activities perpetrated by some herders, adding that Fulani in the country have continued to suffer stereotyping by political opponents of the President.

He said: “On the eve of the last election that brought in Buhari for a second term, we endorsed him publicly. But, thereafter, up till now, as I speak to you, nothing has been done for us. Buhari has abandoned pastoralists. This is very clear. Whether Buhari or his lieutenants, pastoralists have been abandoned by the government.

“For the last eight years, while over N500 billion was spent on agro economy, almost nothing was spent on livestock. Go and check all the state governments’ budgetary provisions, including that of the Federal Government. If you see what is budgeted for livestock, you will be surprised. Livestock is neglected completely.”

Ngelzarma said the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) would do little or nothing to address the problems of pastoralists. He noted: “Only recently, the Buhari administration, at its tail end, began to implement the NLTP, where some states have access to six billion naira funding to establish livestock centres. Some have started it. But we see it as a project that cannot solve the problem.

“How do you think a livestock centre that accommodates only 20,000 cows can solve the problems in a state like Adamawa, with over two million cows? Though, we appreciate it as a model, but this cannot solve the problem.

“We also think we are suffering because people think Buhari is for us and we are for Buhari. That is why we became a battleground for politicians. That is why we are tagged criminals. This is because political opponents, when they want to fight Buhari, they attack the Fulani. We know Buhari is a Fulani man, and when he came in first, he showed the world that he has cows. So, we have become a battleground for politicians and victims of circumstance. This is because Buhari is the head of state but Buhari has done nothing for us.”