Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi has asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to establish a ministry of nomadic affairs to address herdsmen grievances.
He stated this while speaking on Wednesday at the ‘Pastoralists and Fulbe Security Conference’ in Abuja.
Naija News gathered that the event was jointly organised by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and northern consensus movement (NCM).
Gumi stated that if the government can create a ministry of Niger Delta Affairs after militants launched attacks on oil installations and communities, government should do same for herdsmen.
He said: “Government should focus more attention on these people because they always say that they are aggrieved.
“What I expect from the government is nothing less than what it did, when the Niger Delta youths were vandalising the economy.
“These people are also disturbing the Nigerian agriculture which is the backbone of national economy.
“I think the government needs to be more proactive. They need attention. The least they need is the ministry of nomadic affairs that will look into their affairs.”
Also speaking, the national president of MACBAN, Husseini Bosso, said herdsmen are victims of kidnappings and armed banditry ravaging communities in the country.
“What is baffling is that crimes perpetuated against pastoralists have no traction in the media. Our members have been the highest victims of criminality,” he said.
“MACBAN chairmen in Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa states and five other local government chairmen, including Gwagwalada area council, were all recently abducted and killed.
“This buttresses the fact that we are not spared from the atrocities of the kidnappings and banditry in our communities.”
This article was originally published on Nigeria News