Fulani herdsmen not criminals, ready to flush out bandits, kidnappers — Sultan

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that criminality should not be associated with Fulani herders, insisting that those responsible for kidnapping, banditry and terrorism are criminals who must be identified and treated as such, regardless of their ethnic background.

The Sultan made the declaration on Wednesday at the opening of the 2026 National Conference of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Abuja, where he also pledged the full cooperation of Fulani communities in flushing out criminals from their settlements.

“I want to assure all Nigerians that we mean well for everybody in Nigeria. We mean no harm to anybody,” the Sultan said.

He urged Nigerians to stop using the phrase “Fulani herdsmen” when referring to kidnappers and terrorists, saying such criminal elements should simply be described as criminals.

“Call them criminals who are abducting people, engaging in kidnapping, terrorism and whatever. In every family, you have bad people and you have good people. I happen to belong to the family of good people,” he stated.

The traditional ruler stressed that millions of peaceful Fulani people should not be profiled because of the activities of a few criminal elements, noting that ethnic identity should never define criminal responsibility.

According to him, Fulani communities are prepared to partner with the Federal Government and security agencies to rid their settlements of criminal elements.

“We assure the President and all other stakeholders that we are 100 per cent ready to work with him and other security agencies to flush out criminals from our enclaves,” he said.

The Sultan also commended President Bola Tinubu for establishing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, describing the ministry as a landmark intervention capable of transforming the livestock sector.

He praised the Presidential Livestock Reforms Committee, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, and pledged the support of traditional institutions for the ministry’s programmes.

Calling for peaceful coexistence, the Sultan said Nigerians should seek to understand one another rather than merely tolerate one another.

“We want everybody to understand who we are. If you understand somebody, you can work better with him,” he added.

Earlier, MACBAN National President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, reiterated the association’s condemnation of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling and every form of violent crime, insisting that no ethnic group or profession should be judged by the actions of a few criminals.

He described insecurity as the greatest challenge facing both pastoralists and farming communities, noting that criminal attacks had claimed lives, displaced families and destroyed livelihoods across the country.

“Criminals must never be identified with any ethnic group, religion or occupation. Those who violate the law must be dealt with according to the law, while peaceful and law-abiding citizens must be protected without discrimination,” Ngelzarma said.

He disclosed that MACBAN would continue to encourage its members to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible intelligence while rejecting criminality in all its forms.

The MACBAN president also identified climate change, desertification, shrinking pastureland, prolonged drought and encroachment on grazing reserves as major threats to livestock production. He called for greater investment in climate-smart livestock systems, pasture development, water infrastructure and sustainable land-use planning.

On the proposed establishment of state police, Ngelzarma said the association supports efforts to strengthen community security but insisted that any policing structure must be professional, impartial and backed by constitutional safeguards to protect all law-abiding Nigerians.

He reaffirmed that farmers and pastoralists are partners in national development and called for dialogue, justice and mutual respect as the foundation for lasting peace.

Ngelzarma further announced that MACBAN had entered into strategic partnerships with international organisations, including ECOWAS, the African Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Meat Processors of the United States, to promote technology transfer, improve meat-processing standards and attract investment into Nigeria’s livestock value chain.

According to him, the association is also championing the establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle to integrate producers, processors, investors, researchers and financial institutions, with a view to modernising the livestock sector and improving the supply of quality animal protein.

In his address, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said the Federal Government was implementing far-reaching reforms under the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy to modernise livestock production and reduce farmer-herder conflicts.

Maiha disclosed that the ministry is constructing 20 modern veterinary hospitals nationwide, with seven already completed, while regional vaccine storage facilities capable of storing up to 40 million doses are also under development.

He further announced that the National Animal Identification Project would soon commence, under which all cattle, sheep and goats would be digitally registered, tagged and fitted with microchips to establish proof of ownership, combat cattle rustling and improve Nigeria’s access to international livestock markets.

The minister said animals without identification tags would eventually be barred from livestock markets, abattoirs and slaughter facilities.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing a national ranching policy, beginning with a pilot scheme at the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State. He described sedentary livestock production as essential to improving productivity, addressing climate challenges and promoting peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.

The two-day conference, themed “Advancing Peaceful Pastoralism and Livestock Transformation for Food Security, National Unity and Shared Prosperity”, is expected to produce resolutions on security, livestock reforms, governance, youth and women’s empowerment, climate resilience and partnerships aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s livestock industry as a major contributor to economic growth and national food security.