Cattle breeders' association insists on legal status, cites killing of eight state leaders in 2025 as evidence they are targets, not sponsors, of violence
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has mounted a vigorous defense against what it describes as "false and injurious" allegations linking it to terrorism, following the introduction of a United States congressional bill seeking sanctions against the group and several Nigerian entities.
At a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, National President Baba Othman Ngelzarma categorically rejected the narratives underpinning the proposed "Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026" (H.R. 7457), which recommends visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against MACBAN, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and what the bill terms "Fulani-ethnic nomad militias."
'No Court Has Convicted Us'
Ngelzarma opened his response with a stark legal assertion: no court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or abroad has ever convicted or indicted MACBAN as an organization for criminal or terrorist activity .
"While we acknowledge the sovereign right of the United States to deliberate on religious freedom and human rights, we are concerned by narratives linking MACBAN with terrorism," he stated. "We categorically reject such insinuations as false, unfounded, and injurious to the integrity of a duly registered national association" .
The association, established in 1986, is a legally registered corporate entity under Nigerian law. For nearly four decades, Ngelzarma emphasized, MACBAN has operated transparently with national, state, and local structures, conducting democratic leadership elections every four years .
A Recognized Stakeholder
Far from being a clandestine criminal network, the association is formally recognized by federal and state governments as a legitimate stakeholder in livestock development, pastoral welfare, and conflict mediation across Nigeria . Its members, Ngelzarma noted, contribute substantially to the nation's protein supply and rural economy .
He warned that international blacklisting of legitimate actors could trigger cascading consequences: economic losses, trade disruption, and further marginalization of already vulnerable pastoral communities .
'We Are the Victims'
Perhaps the most pointed element of MACBAN's defense was its assertion of shared victimhood. Ngelzarma detailed how armed criminal groups have repeatedly attacked pastoral communities, rustled cattle, displaced families, and assassinated community leaders.
"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 .
This claim of being caught in the crossfire of Nigeria's multi-sided security crisis adds a layer of complexity to the international narrative that has portrayed pastoralist organizations primarily as aggressors.
A Call for Institutional Protection
MACBAN is now appealing directly to Nigeria's legislative and diplomatic institutions for intervention. The association has called on the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and National Security and Intelligence to adopt a formal resolution correcting what it terms "erroneous characterizations" .
It is also urging the National Assembly to activate parliamentary diplomatic channels to engage the U.S. Congress constructively, presenting evidence of MACBAN's lawful registration and compliance record .
"Nigeria's counterterrorism cooperation framework should not be premised on false equivalences that disregard domestic judicial processes and lawful institutional status," Ngelzarma argued .
The Larger Debate
MACBAN's forceful rebuttal enters a heated conversation that has drawn reactions from across Nigeria's political and civil society spectrum. While the association seeks to distance itself from criminality, other groups have taken sharply different positions.
The Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM), a coalition of over 130 Pan-Yoruba and allied indigenous groups, has publicly endorsed the U.S. bill, describing it as a "godly intervention" in the struggle of Nigerian indigenous peoples . The coalition has gone further, urging U.S. lawmakers to expand the sanctions list to include the Sultan of Sokoto and controversial Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi .
Political figures have also weighed in. Bashir Ahmad, former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, questioned Kwankwaso's inclusion, noting the former governor's consistent anti-terrorism stance during his service as governor, minister of defence, and senator . The NNPP has similarly rejected the allegations as politically motivated and unfair .
What's at Stake
For MACBAN, the stakes could not be higher. An international terrorist designation would not only subject its leadership and members to visa bans and asset freezes but could also cripple the livelihoods of thousands of pastoralists who depend on cross-border movement and trade.
For Nigeria's broader bilateral relationship with the United States, the bill introduces a complicating factor just as both nations have deepened security cooperation, including the recent deployment of U.S. troops for training missions .
MACBAN's plea to the federal government is clear: protect legitimate Nigerian institutions from unjust international designation. "We are citizens of Nigeria; we are under the Nigerian government," Ngelzarma said. "Whatever should be with the Americans should be with the Nigerian government" .
The coming weeks will determine whether Abuja heeds that call—and whether Washington is listening.
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