The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has rejected allegations of involvement in banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, or cattle rustling, insisting it has never condoned violence.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, National President Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma addressed concerns over the proposed H.R. 7457 – Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, currently before the US Congress.
The bill recommends visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against individuals and groups, including MACBAN, accused of religious freedom violations.
Ngelzarma dismissed the allegations as baseless:
“No court in Nigeria or abroad has ever convicted or indicted MACBAN for criminal or terrorist activity. We categorically reject such insinuations as false, unfounded, and injurious to the integrity of a duly registered national association.”
He explained that MACBAN, founded in 1986, is a legally registered corporate entity with democratically elected executives and recognised by federal and state governments as stakeholders in livestock development, pastoral welfare, and conflict mediation.
Ngelzarma warned that international blacklisting of legitimate actors could harm Nigeria’s economy, disrupt trade, and marginalise vulnerable communities. He noted that pastoralists themselves have been victims of criminality, citing attacks in which cattle were rustled, families displaced, and leaders assassinated.
“In 2025 alone, at least eight of our state leaders were killed by criminal elements. These tragedies show we are victims of insecurity, not perpetrators,” he said.
He urged the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and National Security to pass a resolution correcting what he described as mischaracterisation and called for diplomatic engagement with the US Congress.
“MACBAN calls on the President of the Senate and the National Assembly to intervene legislatively to safeguard the integrity of Nigerian institutions,” he said, adding that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Adviser should urgently engage US authorities to prevent Nigeria’s security architecture from being undermined by external narratives.
Ngelzarma also appealed to the media to avoid sensational reporting and stereotyping, stressing that MACBAN remains committed to national unity, peaceful coexistence, livestock modernisation, and cooperation with security agencies.
