- Miyetti Allah Rejects U.S. Sanctions Label, Writes Congress for Removal
- The association called for greater evidence-based engagement with local actors
- Ngelzarma said MACBAN’s long-standing collaboration with Nigerian security agencies and global peace-building organisations disproves any suggestion of complicity in violence
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has appealed to the United States Congress to withdraw its name from a proposed sanctions list, insisting it is a lawful socio-cultural association and not a violent group as suggested in the U.S. House Resolution 860, Eko Hot Blog reports.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday in Abuja, MACBAN president, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, said the association had formally written to the U.S. Congress through the American embassy, faulting what he described as “misleading and incomplete assertions” in the resolution targeting entities accused of violating religious freedom in Nigeria.
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He said the claims in the bill ignore the clear distinction between criminal gangs that infiltrate rural areas and law-abiding pastoralists who, he added, are also victims of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Ngelzarma stressed that MACBAN, registered in 1986 by the Federal Government, has no organisational or historical ties to extremism and should not be grouped with Fulani-ethnic militias cited in the proposed legislation.
The bill, sponsored by U.S. Congressman Christopher Smith, seeks visa bans and asset freezes for individuals and organisations deemed to have engaged in severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act.
It lists MACBAN, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” alongside Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, the Taliban and the Houthis.
If passed, the sanctions would grant U.S. authorities powers to block assets and restrict travel for persons linked to the listed entities.
The development comes amid renewed U.S. scrutiny of religious-freedom concerns in Nigeria. President Donald Trump recently classified Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” and directed senior lawmakers, including Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to review alleged attacks on Christian communities.
The Federal Government dismissed the claims, insisting the Constitution guarantees freedom of worship.
Ngelzarma said MACBAN’s long-standing collaboration with Nigerian security agencies and global peace-building organisations disproves any suggestion of complicity in violence. He listed partnerships with the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, NSCDC, NIPSS, traditional rulers, USAID, Mercy Corps, Search for Common Ground and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
According to him, these partnerships have supported reconciliation initiatives, early-warning systems and the prevention of reprisals in conflict-prone areas.
He also highlighted the heavy toll pastoralist communities have borne over the past decade, citing verified records showing more than 18,600 pastoralists killed, about 1.29 million displaced, over 87,000 homes destroyed and more than one million cattle rustled or killed in 17 states between 2015 and 2025.
Ngelzarma added that several MACBAN officials had been assassinated for cooperating with security agencies, saying such incidents demonstrate the vulnerability of pastoralist communities rather than any link to criminality.
MACBAN urged the U.S. Congress to review the resolution and remove its name, warning that mischaracterising pastoralists could undermine peace-building efforts and worsen rural insecurity.
The association called for greater evidence-based engagement with local actors and more investment in long-term solutions such as grazing reserves, rangeland restoration, veterinary services, education and conflict-resolution programmes.
It reaffirmed that it does not support or protect any form of criminal activity and insisted that offenders act independently and must face justice.
MACBAN also encouraged the international community to recognise pastoralists as key contributors to national food security rather than stereotype them based on the actions of criminal impersonators.
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