Members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have vowed to resist plans by the Federal Government to establish cattle colonies across the country for the purpose of addressing incessant herdsmen and farmers' clashes. The group said it would also resist the anti-open grazing law passed by some state governments.
The North-East Chairman of the association, Alhaji Mafindi Danburam who spoke to newsmen on behalf of the group said open grazing was the tradition of all Fulani men and that no one has the right to stop their culture. He explained that the cattle colony being mulled by the federal government was alien to them and would be strongly resisted.
“You see, we know the plan of the Federal Government and I tell you that anything that infringes on our rights, we will go to court. Open grazing is our culture and you cannot wake up one day and stop me from practising my culture. Cattle colony is not our culture. We have our culture and tradition and we want to maintain it.”
On the statement by the Governor of Taraba state that the implimentation of the anti-open grazing law would be in stages, the group expressed total rejection of the law
“As the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in the North-East, who is also the immediate past Chairman of the group in Taraba State, I want to tell you that we do not accept the open grazing prohibition law being implemented in Taraba State.
We don’t need it, we don ’t want it and that is why we are challenging the law in a court of competent jurisdiction — the state High Court. The case is before her lordship, the Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Josephine Tuktur. So, we won ’t do anything before the outcome of the case in court.”
