By Nosakhale Akhimien

The National Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultural Association, Saleh Alhassan, has alleged that political actors are behind the persistent crisis in Plateau State, not herders.

He made the allegation on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief, where he addressed issues of national security and herder-farmer relations.

Alhassan, who is also the former secretary-general of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, dismissed the widespread narrative that foreign herders are responsible for recent killings across the Middle Belt, describing it as both “misleading” and “politically motivated.”

“The notion and narrative of foreign herders is a distraction. It is a continuation of efforts to deny Nigerian herders their citizenship and a major challenge to achieving peace, especially concerning the farmers-herders conflict,” he said.

Speaking specifically on the Plateau crisis, Alhassan described the situation as highly politicised.

“I schooled and grew up in Plateau, so I know the root causes of these crises,” he said. “The recent conflict in Bokkos, for instance, started over a motorcycle theft, not grazing or land use. But suddenly, every conflict is labelled a farmer-herder clash.”

“If Governor Caleb Mutfwang wants to be sincere, he knows this conflict is political. There is a clear agenda to expel herders from Plateau State. His political godfather, former Governor Jonah Jang, has been a driver of that narrative, and it has been renewed again.”

Alhassan also condemned what he described as the use of ethnic militias disguised as vigilantes, stating that peaceful herders are often left with no choice but to resort to self-defence.

“Peaceful herders have no business with banditry,” he said. “But when governors abandon conventional law enforcement and empower ethnic militias, injustices are committed against herders. In such a setting, herders resort to self-help.”

The secretary accused some politicians of weaponising the insecurity for personal gain and insisted that criminality must be addressed directly and without ethnic bias.

“We are heading into another election season, and suddenly conflicts are being reignited and mischaracterised as herder-farmer clashes.

“In Plateau, for instance, this is not even the cropping season, yet such narratives are being pushed. These are pretentious statements. Treat criminals as criminals, treat bandits as bandits,” he said bluntly.

Herders Are Victims, Unarmed

Referring to recent killings in Plateau and Benue states, Alhassan argued that herders are often the first victims of violence and should not be criminalised.

“Our herders are not armed. What we have are armed bandits in our forests, who are mistakenly or deliberately labelled as herders. We’ve lost many herders and thousands of cattle, yet we’re still accused as the perpetrators.

“Most of the images we see of armed herders are not even from Nigeria,” he added, insisting, “There are no foreign herders in North Central Nigeria. What exists in some border communities are bandits and criminals, not genuine herders.”

According to Alhassan, herders are frequently kidnapped for ransom, adding that their suffering is rarely acknowledged by the authorities.

“It’s always convenient for security agencies to blame us to avoid engaging in deep conversations that address the root cause of these issues,” he said. “Let them parade those arrested and show us their nationalities. It’s not just about Fulfulde, Fulani, or the language they speak.”

While noting that the Miyetti Allah association keeps a register of its members, Alhassan admitted that tracking herders can be challenging due to the fluid and nomadic nature of their lifestyle.

As a long-term solution, he advocated for integrating livestock systems across the country. “Integration of livestock is the solution to the farmer-herder conflict,” he stated.

The Miyetti Allah National secretary’s remarks come amid renewed concern over escalating violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

The April 2025 attacks in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs in Plateau claimed over 100 lives, among the worst since the 2023 Christmas Eve massacre, where at least 150 people were killed in a single night.

Not Nigerians

In Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia has claimed that many of the perpetrators of violence “are not Nigerians,” suggesting “they speak unfamiliar languages and exhibit foreign traits.”

Similarly, Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang argued that the attackers “often do not speak any recognised Nigerian language,” deepening speculation about their origin and motive.

After several calls to wade into the incessant killings, President Bola Tinubu declared that “enough is enough” and expressed sorrow, urging Governor Mutfwang to summon the political will to restore peace. The president also called on community, political, and religious leaders to unite and end retaliatory attacks.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate recently resolved to establish an ad hoc committee to organise a two-day national security summit in Abuja.

The summit is expected to include representatives from federal, state, and local governments, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders, aimed at developing sustainable solutions to the country’s insecurity challenges.