The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Southeast zone, has expressed its readiness to support the authorities to go after criminals and rid the forests and cities of such bad elements in order to make life better for everyone.

Its chairman, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, stated this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

He reiterated the MACBAN’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful coexistence between its members and their host communities.

He said that as a trade group, no member of the association would willingly do anything to jeopardise the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.

“As Nigerians, we should focus of those positive ideals that are mutually beneficial to all,” Siddiki said.

Siddiki said that members of the association had a good relationship with the people of the area in spite of some isolated cases of misunderstanding.

He said that their interest in the area was purely economic, adding that no herder is interested in contesting for the ownership of land with members of their host communities.

On the issue of insecurity, Siddiki commended state governments in the Southeast for securing the area against banditry.

He said that there was no denying the fact that governments at all levels had put much efforts into finding solution to the challenge in parts of the country.

He, however, said that much still needed to be done to ensure that law abiding citizens, including herders, were free to carry out their businesses without encumbrances.

According to him, the time for Nigerians to unite and seek avenues to douse the raging tension and insecurity in parts of the country is now.

He said that as cattle breeders, “We only ask for a secure environment to do our business. (NAN)