We commiserate with the Federal Government, the Government and good people of Benue State and indeed all Nigerians over the needless and senseless loss of lives and destruction of property occasioned by the recent bout of crisis in Benue state. We pray for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives and pray the Almighty Allah to speedily heal those who suffered one form of injury or the other. We thank the Federal Government and security agencies for the timely intervention to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
2- We wish to state that MACBAN, as the umbrella organization of Fulani cattle breeders and herders in Nigeria, is committed to peaceful and harmonious coexistence of the over three hundred ethnic groups in Nigeria.
3- As major stakeholders in the Nigerian project, and one of the biggest contributors to her Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the country, it is in the best interest of MACBAN members to be at peace with other Nigerians.
4- Unfortunately, much as we try to live in peace with other Nigerians, Fulani Cattle Breeders are often isolated for ethnic profiling, stigmatised, taunted and abused. In several cases our members are attacked, killed and hundreds of thousands of cattle are stolen and their properties destroyed. The voices of our most our members are not heard due to the fact that most of them members are not literate, live in hard-to-reach areas, and have limited or no access to the media and the internet. Their losses, both human and material don’t get media attention let alone grab the headlines.
5- While we cannot detail all of the attacks on herders in Benue State, we, however, shall mention a few. Between September to December 2024, 12 Fulani herders were killed in Logo LGA of Benue State. In January 2025, eight herders were killed in Kwande LGA of the state and 268 cattle either rustled or killed. On January 12, 2025, two herders were murdered by Tiv farmers in Guma LGA. In February 2025, two young herders were killed in Katsina Ala and their bodies burned. In March 2025, four herders were killed near Zaki Biam in Ukum LGA, and 85 cattle stolen. In Gwer West LGA is one LGA scores Fulani Herders have suffered losses running into millions of naira. We are constrained by space and time to list the hundreds of attacks on Fulani herders around Benue State, not to mention the losses we recorded from “accidental aerial attacks” by the Nigeria Airforce.
From January 2024 to December 2024,
44 pastorialists were killed and 328 cows stolen in Gwer West and Logo LGAs alone. From January 2025 to date, over 57 herders were killed in Benue State, with over 4,348 herds of cattle stolen. The most unfortunate part is the perpetrators are not arrested not talk of being prosecuted nor victims compensated.
6.- This statement paints a dire picture of ongoing violence, displacement, and loss suffered by Fulani Herders in Benue and those fleeing the state into Nasarawa State.
7- We urge political leaders, traditional, religious and community leaders in Benue state to commit themselves to the cause of harmonious living among our agrarian and livestock rearing communities and stop pushing divisive narratives that are counter-productive and that does not enhance the cause of peace.
8.- We wish thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for his intervention and timely visit to Benue State. We also thank Mr. President for having the courage to tell political and traditional leaders in Benue State to seek ways to live in peace with one another. We hope that this visit will help restore the much needed peace to Benue State and Nigeria.
Signed