The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Thursday revealed being the patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN,
stressing that any Fulani man carrying arms and ammunition is not a member of the association.

Insisting that Miyetti Allah is not a criminal organisation, he likened the group to other socio-cultural organisations like the Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Arewa Consultative Forum, adding that it was formed over 32 years to cater for welfare and advance the growth of Fulani business.

The Sultan, who stated this at the General Assembly of Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, IDFP, in Abuja, asked, “How is it possible for Fulani to attack settlements or communities to carry out killings of innocent people, destroy property and disappear without trace?”

He rejected the terrorism tag being placed on members of Miyetti Allah, warning that “We should not be labelling everybody a criminal because his brother is a criminal”.

Abubakar continued, “Miyetti Allah doesn’t control any Fulani man. Calling for proscription of Miyetti Allah is equivalent to calling for the proscription of other ethnic organisations like Afenifere, ACF, Ohanaeze and others…