- The secretary-general of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhassan Saleh, said the Malian herders’ presence in Nigeria is nothing to worry about
- Saleh said protocol allows ECOWAS member countries’ citizens to have the right to enter, reside and establish in the territory of member countries
- He noted that those people are not bandits; they are covered by the ECOWAS protocol on trans human movement to move across borders to graze their cattle
The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore on Monday, December 3, cautioned the security agencies and civilians against attacking Malian herders grazing their cattle in Gudu and Tangaza local government areas of Sokoto state.
The Punch reports that Alhassan Saleh, secretary-general of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, said the Malian herders’ presence in the country was nothing to worry about, as they were only grazing their cattle, a tradition he said they had been performing annually for the past 100 years.
“Those people are not bandits; they are covered by the ECOWAS Protocol on Trans Human Movement to move across borders to graze their cattle. They have been doing that for over 100 years. They come during the dry season and leave later.”
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The said protocol allows ECOWAS member countries’ citizens to have the right to enter, reside and establish in the territory of member countries.
Article 3 of the protocol, however, states that any ECOWAS citizen who wishes to enter the territory of any other member country shall be required to possess a valid travel document and international health certificate.
Saleh said the government and security agencies ought to sensitise Nigerians on the protocol in order to avert any trouble.
He said: “It’s because we are so sensitive nowadays that anytime we see a large number of cows, we panic. I blame the government and security agencies for this. They ought to enlighten the people on the ECOWAS Protocol for better understanding.
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“Those foreign herders are not bandits and I hope we will not attack them and then invite trouble. Nobody should attack them.
“Ideally, the customs and the ministry of foreign affairs, among other security agencies, should issue Trans Human Certificates to the foreign herders.”
“We are supposed to have cross-border security in place and deploy cattle tracking technology. Unfortunately, the government is not serious about livestock development in this country.
“They would promise to ranch today and cattle colony tomorrow, but nothing is happening. Maybe they want to eradicate pastoralism and give the business to capitalists.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, said the federal government would soon begin cattle ranching in the country to stop cattle and herdsmen from roaming.
Ogbeh made the disclosure on Monday, December 3, during his official visit to a beans market located at Auta Ballefi, Nasarawa state, operated by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
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