31 Herders Killed In Nasarawa Air Raid – MACBAN

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) says the airstrike in Nasarawa State killed 31 herders and an unspecified number of livestock.

Naija News reported that the airstrike happened in Kwateri community in Doma Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.

At least 27 people were killed following the airstrike that hit some herders waiting to transport their cattle from the community that connects Benue to Nasarawa.

In a statement on Thursday, MACBAN Pesident, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, said the herders killed went to get 1,250 of their cows impounded by the Benue livestock guards.

Ngelzarma said the herders were made to pay N29 million for allegedly violating the anti-open grazing law in Benue state.

He said the explosion occurred after the herders retrieved their livestock.

He said: “After paying, the pastoralists had hired vehicles from Makurdi to convey back their seized livestock to Rukubi, and it was in the process of offloading their livestock that an attack was conducted which killed 31 pastoralists, eight Hausa butchers from Benue who have escorted the vehicles to upload the cows and four others are now on admission in Lafia hospital.

“This is the third time we have experienced such happenings. In the last two happenings, it was clear that the Airforce is being involved in strafing livestock between the border of Benue and Nasarawa states within the last one year.

“But in the recent one, it is not clear whether it was a bomb blast, a distant attack or an airstrike as reported by our Nasarawa state branch.”

The MACBAN president said the relevant authorities should investigate and prosecute the culprits behind the explosion.

He added: “Information available to us shows that the perpetrators must have been informed about the release of the livestock from Benue livestock guards custody to impose a double jeopardy on pastoralists lives and their assets.”