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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) has rejected the recent designation of the association as a terrorist organisation.
MACBAN President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, in an interview with Sunday Sun said the US Congressmen probably acted based on false and unfounded consideration.
He was optimistic that the decision will be reversed if there’s a proper diplomatic engagement with the US lawmakers.
MACBAN was recently proposed to be designated as a terrorist organisation by the US Congress. How did you receive that?
This decision of the US Congress came as a shock to us. Because we never saw it coming as a peaceful organisation that has lived and done its businesses for over 40 years in Nigeria. While we acknowledge the sovereign right of the United States to deliberate on matters relating to religious freedom and human rights, we are deeply concerned that emerging narratives surrounding the Bill before the United States Congress titled H.R. 7457 – Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, has increasingly sought to associate MACBAN, a lawful Nigerian association, with terrorism and mass atrocities. We categorically reject such insinuations as false, unfounded, and injurious to the integrity of a duly registered national association. MACBAN was established in 1986 and is a legally registered corporate entity under Nigerian law. For four decades, the association has operated openly, maintaining national, state, and local government structures across the Federation with executive officers democratically elected every four years. We are recognised by Federal and State Governments as a legitimate stakeholder in livestock development, pastoral welfare, and conflict mediation.
So do you think or mean that MACBAN was erroneously designated a terrorist organisation by the US Congress?
I can say yes! We don’t know the basis for their decision, but It’s possible that the US Congress relied on some false information or mistaken identity of our members to arrive at this unjust
decision. There’s the possibility that some people who are determined to falsely destroy the reputation of the association might have contributed to smearing the reputation of the association and, by extension, the country.
Who and who constitute members of MACBAN?
Good! Everyone is eligible to be a member of MACBAN as long as he is a cattle breeder, and has agreed to abide by the constitution and other guidelines of the association. MACBAN is an association that is open to all cattle breeders irrespective of whether they are Fulanis or not, Muslims or Christians alike. Our membership cuts across religious and tribal sentiments. It’s not restricted to Fulani people or people from the northern Nigeria as many people may think. We have registered members from all parts of the country.
Is MACBAN the same with Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore?
No! There’s the need to know that there’s a difference between MACBAN, and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. We are two different organisations with distinct objectives, goals and leadership. Our members contribute significantly to Nigeria’s protein supply and rural economy. We are involved in cattle breeding business and modernisation of husbandry practices. Our constitutional objectives have remained consistent and transparent. We champion the promotion of pastoral welfare and economic advancement, peaceful coexistence between pastoralists and host communities, collaboration with security agencies and government institutions in conflict prevention and resolution.
Why do your members allegedly bear arms and are deeply involved in most of criminal activities in the bush?
This is a misconception that must be corrected by the public. Our members are not armed and whenever we find one who is armed with dangerous weapon we expel him from being our member and report him to the appropriate authorities. That’s why we have sustained the media campaign to properly educate and enlighten Nigerians about who we are. Our members do not bear arms. Those pastoralists you see walking in the bush with AK47 and dangerous weapons are criminals. Sadly, because they are Fulani-pastoralists, people see them as our members.
Can you also speak to the allegation that your association is linked to terror groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, and others?
This is another misconception. MACBAN has never condoned crime in whatever ramification. We abhor banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, cattle rustling, all forms of violent extremism and unequivocally reject all criminality. Besides, no court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or abroad has ever convicted or indicted MACBAN as an organisation for criminal or terrorist activity. So to conflate the alleged actions of isolated criminal individuals with a registered corporate association is not only legally unjust but also dangerously simplistic. Additionally, we have a way of checkmating our members. On several occasions, we have punished our members who cause conflict or breakdown of peace in the communities. We are working with relevant security authorities to ensure peace and harmony among the people particularly farmers and herders.
What has this US sanction cost the association?
It is unquantifiable. First, our reputation has been greatly affected within and outside Nigeria. Since the US Congress action, people are beginning to see us with different eyes. We have lots of international partners that we have been working together with. They might consider withdrawing or significantly reduce their engagements with us. The most fearful one is the stigmatisation and discrimination that may accompany this development. Unfair profiling too. Failure to address this mischaracterisation may further prejudice our international image; embolden sanctions-based targeting of Nigerian associations; and undermine public confidence in the state’s ability to protect its lawful institutions. Hence, we appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the NSA to initiate urgent diplomatic engagement with relevant US authorities to correct erroneous narratives associating MACBAN with terrorism.
You mentioned that you have lost your members to the arm-bearing pastoralists…
Yes, in thousands, and we have provided the data and report to the relevant authorities. It is important to state that pastoralists themselves have been major victims of criminality. Armed groups and bandits have attacked our communities, rustled cattle, displaced families, and assassinated leaders. In 2025 alone, at least eight of our state leaders were killed by criminal elements. These tragedies underscore that we are victims of insecurity, not perpetrators of it.
Is the association open to investigation?
Yes, we are open for investigation and clarification. Our records are always clear. We would have loved to present this verifiable evidence of our lawful registration, regulatory compliance, and decades-long peace-building record to the US Congress if there’s opportunity for that, and ensure Nigeria’s official position clearly distinguishes between recognised socio-cultural associations and criminal elements acting outside the law.
What steps have you taken since the incident to make amend?
We started by openly denying the allegations by the US Congress on the designation. Since then, we have sustained media campaign against the erroneous characterisation of MACBAN with terrorism and mass atrocities in Nigeria. We have notified the Nigerian government about the development through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). We suggested that they establish a diplomatic channel to resolve the challenge. Given the strategic role of the NSA as head of the Nigeria’s section of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, we respectfully request him to elevate this matter within bilateral security dialogues to ensure that Nigeria’s counterterrorism cooperation framework is not premised on false equivalences. Nigeria’s security architecture must not be undermined by external narratives that disregard domestic judicial processes and lawful institutional status. We have also communicated with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to intervene legislatively, to safeguard the integrity of Nigerian institutions. We affirm their commitment to protecting registered Nigerian organisations from unjust international designation.
Do you have an appeal to the government?
MACBAN remains unwavering in its commitment to national unity, constitutional order, peaceful coexistence, livestock sector modernisation and full cooperation with Nigerian security agencies in combating criminality. We respectfully urge the Federal Government to protect legitimate Nigerian institutions from unjust international designation and to ensure that law-abiding citizens engaged in producing the bulk of Nigeria’s animal protein are not unfairly stigmatised or economically harmed. Justice must be individual. Accountability must be evidence-based. And international engagement must reflect fairness, legal precision, and respect for sovereign institutions.
