The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has petitioned the United States Congress, through the American embassy in Abuja, seeking the removal of its name from a proposed sanctions list under House Resolution 860.
The resolution targets entities accused of violating religious freedom in Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, MACBAN President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma dismissed what he described as “misleading and incomplete assertions” in the resolution.
He stressed that MACBAN is a lawful socio-cultural and economic association, registered by the Federal Government in 1986, and not a militia or violent organisation.
The association argued that the resolution conflates criminal groups operating in rural areas with law-abiding pastoralists, who themselves suffer from insecurity. It maintained that MACBAN has no links to extremism and should not be equated with Fulani-ethnic militias named in the bill.
The legislation, sponsored by Congressman Christopher Smith, proposes visa bans and asset freezes on individuals and organisations deemed responsible for severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act. The bill lists MACBAN, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” alongside globally sanctioned groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, the Taliban, and the Houthis.
If enacted, the measure would empower U.S. authorities to impose sanctions on individuals associated with the named entities. It forms part of Washington’s broader initiative to address alleged violations of religious freedom in Nigeria.
The development follows President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” and his directive to lawmakers to investigate attacks on Christian communities. While the Federal Government has rejected the allegations, citing constitutional guarantees of religious liberty, Trump reportedly instructed the U.S. Department of War to prepare for possible action.
Ngelzarma highlighted MACBAN’s longstanding cooperation with Nigerian security agencies, peace-building institutions, and international partners, including USAID, Mercy Corps, Search for Common Ground, and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. He said these collaborations have supported mediation, early-warning systems, and efforts to prevent reprisals in conflict-prone areas.
He also pointed to the heavy toll on pastoralists, citing verified records between 2015 and 2025 showing over 18,600 deaths, 1.29 million displaced persons, 87,543 houses destroyed, and more than one million cattle rustled or killed across 17 states. Several MACBAN executives, he added, were assassinated for cooperating with security agencies, underscoring the community’s vulnerability rather than complicity in violence.
MACBAN urged the U.S. Congress to reconsider the resolution, warning that mischaracterising pastoralists could undermine peace-building initiatives and worsen rural insecurity. The association called for evidence-based engagement with local actors and investment in long-term solutions such as grazing reserves, rangeland restoration, veterinary services, education, and conflict-resolution programmes.
Reaffirming its stance, MACBAN declared that it “does not support, condone, harbour, finance, or protect any form of criminality,” insisting that individuals who commit crimes act independently and must face justice. It appealed to the international community to recognise pastoralists as vital contributors to Nigeria’s food security rather than stereotype them based on the actions of criminal impersonators.
