Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has raised a devastating alarm over what it describes as an emerging humanitarian crisis unfolding in Niger and Kebbi states, where its members are being killed, displaced, and stripped of their livelihoods in a wave of violence that has left entire communities deserted.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Bello Aliyu Gotomo, and issued on Monday, September 7, 2026, the association declared that the situation had become intolerable. "Our people are being murdered," the group lamented, calling on the Federal Government and the governments of Niger and Kebbi states to intervene urgently.
According to MACBAN, the violence, which initially erupted in parts of Niger State, has now spread to the Yauri axis of Kebbi State. The attacks have triggered a massive displacement of pastoralists, with more than 10,000 people fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in Kaoje, Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The association also alleged that over 5,000 cattle have been left roaming in the bush after their owners were either killed or forced to flee.
The devastation extends beyond human life. MACBAN alleged that widespread destruction of farmlands has occurred, stretching from Agwara, Bargu and Kainji towards the border with the Republic of Benin. The violence, the group said, is being carried out by hunters, local tribal militias and some vigilante members, including elements allegedly from neighbouring Benin Republic.
Adding to the crisis is a sophisticated cattle-rustling network. MACBAN claimed that animals belonging to displaced or killed pastoralists have been stolen and transported to cattle markets in parts of southern and eastern Nigeria for sale. The association said its Lagos branch is already holding some animals allegedly identified as stolen, though the claims could not be independently verified. It also alleged that stolen cattle meat is being transported from forests and illegal abattoirs into Kaduna metropolis, and called on authorities to investigate the networks behind the theft.
MACBAN is now demanding immediate security intervention to halt the killings and protect pastoralist communities in the affected areas. It also urged the authorities to identify and provide emergency assistance to displaced persons, particularly those taking refuge around Kaoje and Yauri, and to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged cattle-rustling networks. The association insisted that perpetrators of the attacks and cattle theft should be identified and brought to justice, "irrespective of their affiliations".
The allegations from MACBAN come amid continuing security challenges and communal tensions that have long plagued farming and pastoralist communities across parts of the North-West and North-Central regions. For the thousands of displaced pastoralists now sheltering in Kaoje and Yauri, the immediate priority is survival. For the government, the question is whether it will act before this emerging humanitarian crisis spirals further out of control.
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