Nigeria herders' groups dispute grazing bans as kidnapping suspects arrested

The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore faction, a herders' umbrella body, has rejected the bans on open grazing imposed by South‑West governors, calling the measures an “eviction notice” and urging alternative policies and proper national laws. The group highlighted the National Livestock Transformation Plan and warned that ranches cannot be created overnight, stressing that forced cessation of open grazing would exacerbate insecurity.

In Benue State, the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Ardo Muhammad, said the three men arrested after a recent kidnap attempt were travelling Fulani men, not kidnappers. He stated, “The four Fulani men arrested were travellers going from Benue State to Onitsha to visit their relatives,” and called for swift action by security agencies to address the incident and broader insecurity targeting herders.