Cattle herders
Miyetti Allah alleges abduction of 10 herdsmen, 300 cows in Anambra
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Chairman of South East chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Gidado Sidikki, has alleged that 10 members of the group have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Anambra state.
He alleged that 300 cows were also stolen by the gunmen, who are demanding for N4m and a gun as ransom, for their release.
Sidikki said the incident took place at Obene community in Ogbaru Local council area of the State, a Fulani settlement in the area on April, 23, 2022, at about 1:30a.m.
Siddiki, who disclosed this in an interview with Journalists in Awka, alleged that the Cattle herders were attacked at their settlement while asleep and their animals forcefully taken away by the gunmen numbering about 40.
According to him, they invaded the area with sophisticated weapons: guns, cutlasses, sticks and charms.
He said the Association had reported the incident to the Police and the DSS for prompt action.
He appealed to the kidnappers to release his members and their cows, stressing that those kidnapped were mere hustlers
He condemned the politicisation of conflict between the herdsmen and host communities, across the country, noting that the herdsmen were always accused of crime, even in situations where they were the victims of attack.
Siddiki cited instances where criminals disguised in Fulani attires and commit crimes in some states like Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, southern Kaduna and Anambra in order to give the herdsmen a bad name.
He blamed the face-off between herdsmen, farmers and host communities on lack of accurate communication by the concerned authorities.
According to him most of the conflicts can be averted if dialogue and proper conflict management skills were established in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Siddiki however, commended the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, for initiating peace and reconciliation committee to address the security challenges in the state and the South East region at large, with a view to achieving realistic solutions.
The state Police Public Relations Officer DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, who confirmed the incident urged the leadership of Miyetti Allah in the state to come up with more information that would enable the Police to commence aggressive investigation into the matter.
