The Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has commended the Enugu State government for its prompt and peaceful intervention following an attack on herders that resulted in fatalities and cattle rustling.
The commendation was made in a statement on Sunday by MACBAN National Deputy Director, Gidado Siddiki, in Enugu.

Siddiki acknowledged the state government’s efforts to restore peace and ensure justice for victims of the incident, which involved the attack on six herders and the theft of more than 100 cattle.

“We sincerely acknowledge the steadfastness of the state government and security agencies in protecting lives and property across the state,” Siddiki said. “We also note with appreciation the assurance given by the government that the perpetrators of these heinous attacks will be brought to book and made to face justice.”

Siddiki urged continued collaboration between MACBAN and the state government to prevent future attacks, while expressing confidence in the investigation by security agencies.

“Nevertheless, we respectfully urge for even greater efforts to prevent further recurrence of such attacks against our members. Our hope remains that through continued collaboration, peace, security, and justice will prevail for all residents in the state,” he said.

He extended condolences to the families of the deceased, describing their loss as a collective tragedy for the association.

“We extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved families of the victims. Their loss is our collective loss, and we stand with them in this difficult time,” Siddiki added.

Highlighting the challenges faced during the incident, Siddiki noted that the attack occurred deep inside the forest and stressed the importance of government and security agency involvement in recovering the bodies for burial according to Islamic rites.

“Notably, the recent incident occurred deep inside the forest, and without their intervention, we would not have been able to recover the corpses for burial in accordance with Islamic rites,” he said.

Siddiki also clarified that MACBAN does not hold the government responsible for the attack, stressing that their role is to report the ordeal to authorities to ensure such acts are addressed and prevented in the future.

“It is important to emphasise that we are not blaming the government, as we recognise that no administration desires unrest during its tenure. However, we have a duty to report our ordeals and losses to the government, being the institution we rely upon to address and put an end to such acts against our members,” he said.

The statement underscores MACBAN’s commitment to engaging state authorities to protect herders’ livelihoods while supporting peace and security in Enugu State.