from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – THE largely-Muslim livestock herders in Nigeria are wary of the killing of its members in Africa’s largest nation by population.
The scourge is believed to be an escalation of the fight over resources with the mainly Christian peasant farmers.
This past weekend, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) reported the killing of Idrissu Abubakar, its chairman of the western state of Kwara, by unknown gunmen.
Abubakar (33) a father of six, was shot dead after returning home from prayers.
He is the second MACBAN state chairman to be killed in 2025, according to the association.
Abubakar’s death follows the assassination in January of Alhaji Sirajo Ahmad Mairana, who had just been elected as the MACBAN chairman of the Katsina state, in the northwest.
Bello Aliyu Gotomo, MACBAN National Secretary, said in the past two years, the organisation had lost over seven state and local government chairmen to unknown gunmen.
The association is also enduring the disappearance of its National Vice President, Manir Lamido, who has been reported missing since 2023.
He was last seen traveling between Katsina and Kaduna, the latter also in the northwest.
Gotomo said the spate of killings raised concerns about the safety of MACBAN leaders and the challenges facing the livestock industry in the West African country.
“The association has urged the government and security agencies to take decisive action to protect its members and bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice,” Gotomo said.
The world’s largest Black nation, with 237 million people, Nigeria is equally divided between Christians and Muslims.
The Kaduna-based MACBAN represents 100 000 cattle crearers.
– CAJ News