Presidency Says Miyetti Allah Is like Afenifere and Ohanaeze, Denies Offering N100bn

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and
Publicity, Garba Shehu, has said that Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria is like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo
socio-cultural groups and thus should not be criminalised.

He also defended the meeting between the Inspector-General of
Police, Mohammed Adamu, and the leadership of the Miyetti Allah,
adding that the government needed the cooperation of Miyetti Allah
to help in tackling weapons proliferation as the security situation
in the country worsens

Shehu, who was a guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on
Tuesday, urged Nigerians not to politicise the meeting, arguing
that all stakeholders have a role to play in ensuring that the
nation remains safe.

The Police had come under fire recently for holding a meeting
with the herders and urging them to please assist in curbing the
insecurity in the nation.

The President’s aide, however, said, “It is a mistake to say the
Nigerian government is talking to bandits.

“The Miyetti Allah group is like Ohanaeze and Afenifere. It is a
socio-cultural group. There are criminals within the Yoruba race
and you cannot say because of that, Afenifere is a group of
criminals.

“The Nigerian government is speaking with the leadership of the
Fulani herders association, Miyetti Allah.”

When asked if it is true that the herders were offered N100m to
help maintain peace, Shehu said, “That is 100 per cent untrue. I
have confirmed that in all the meetings held, money was never
discussed.

“All of the issues were about the involvement of the leadership
of Miyetti Allah and getting them to prevail upon its members and
they are many. We asked them to assist the administration to
recover weapons which were owned by a lot of these elements,” Shehu
said.

The presidential aide said it did not directly translate to
amnesty, adding that “it is a win-win situation for all because the
cattle breeders also have their issues which they brought to the
government; and the more discussions take place, the more
interesting it becomes.”

The President’s aide further stated that state governments would
be involved in the talks.

He said some of the herders admitted that they went into crime
because they had been dispossessed of their cattle by rustlers.

Shehu added, “These things are being addressed and they are
moving to the next stage.

“In states like Kogi, Benue, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger,
they will be talking to the governors so that you can use them.
They are available so that you can help the government to caution
and control some of these things unfolding.”

In his response, however, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the Head of Human
Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, faulted the approach of the
Presidency.

Onwubiko said Miyetti Allah had defended violence in the past
and as such could not be said to be a peaceful organisation like
Ohanaeze and Afenifere.

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