Miyetti Allah Demands Military Probe Over Southern Kaduna Killings
The Kaduna State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has accused some military personnel and local government officials of complicity in what it described as the targeted killing and persecution of Fulani herders in Southern Kaduna.
In a strongly worded statement titled “A Betrayal of Justice,” signed by its chairman, Alhaji Abdulhamid Musa Albarka, and made available to Arewa PUNCH, the association condemned what it called a recurring pattern of violence and injustice against its members in the area.
MACBAN alleged that on September 28, 2025, four herders — Suleiman Idris, Yusuf Abdullahi, Hamidu Dauda, and Ibrahim Hassan — were ambushed by armed militias at Tanda Village in Jema’a Local Government Area while attempting to access an old cattle route allegedly blocked by local groups.
According to the association, the attack was premeditated and unprovoked.
“Their only offence was questioning why their long-established cattle route had been unlawfully blocked. In the ensuing violence, Suleiman Idris was brutally murdered, while the others sustained severe and permanent injuries,” the statement read.
MACBAN said the victims’ cattle, described as their families’ sole means of livelihood, were scattered into the wilderness after the attack.
“This was not a misunderstanding nor a spontaneous clash,” Albarka stated. “It was a deliberate, calculated assault on innocent and unarmed citizens aimed at destroying their community and livelihood.”
The group also accused the Chairman of Jema’a Local Government Council, Hon. Peter Tanko Dogara, of interfering with police investigations and frustrating efforts to apprehend those behind the attack.
According to MACBAN, while the Divisional Police Officer in Kafanchan had made efforts to arrest the suspects, the alleged interference by the council chairman amounted to “a gross abuse of office and a subversion of justice.”
“It is regrettable that the chairman failed to visit the victims or condole with the bereaved families,” the group added, describing his alleged indifference as unbecoming of a public officer.
The association further alleged that some officers of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), responsible for security in parts of Southern Kaduna and Plateau State, ignored intelligence warnings about rising tensions in Tanda and failed to deploy troops in time.
“This omission directly enabled the murder of Suleiman Idris and the grievous wounding of others,” the statement said, describing the incident as a “betrayal of constitutional duty.”
MACBAN also questioned the response of the Defence Headquarters, calling on the Chief of Defence Staff to ensure fairness and balance in addressing security concerns in the region.
“Leadership in such a sensitive role demands not only competence but fairness,” Albarka maintained. “The Defence Headquarters must reassess its posture in Southern Kaduna to dispel suspicions of sectional loyalty.”
The association urged President Bola Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani, and the National Security Council to launch a judicial panel of inquiry into the killings and alleged complicity of local officials and security personnel.
It also called for a review of the OPSH command structure, suspension of the Jema’a council chairman pending investigation, disarmament of armed militias, and compensation for victims’ families.
“The peace initiatives of Governor Uba Sani are being undermined by rogue officials and compromised commanders whose silence perpetuates division. We reaffirm our commitment to peace and dialogue, but peace cannot be built on the graves of the innocent. Justice must prevail,” the statement concluded.
