General Secretary of the Kautal Pulaku Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Abdullahi Ardo, has called on the Federal Government to investigate reported attacks on pastoralists in several parts of the country and provide assistance to families displaced by the violence.
Ardo made the appeal in Abuja on Sunday while addressing an international press conference on behalf of a coalition of Fulani leaders under the Confederation of Pastoralists. He also urged the government to strengthen security for herders and ensure that victims of attacks receive justice without discrimination.
The coalition identified Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states among the areas where pastoralist communities had allegedly suffered deadly attacks in recent months.
According to Ardo, the incidents have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, the destruction of settlements and the loss of cattle. He alleged that women, children and elderly people were among the victims, while many affected families had been forced to flee their homes.
The group called for an independent probe into the reported killings and urged the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to provide relief materials to displaced pastoralists.
Ardo maintained that herders, like other Nigerian citizens, were entitled to protection under the law. He called on security agencies to take measures to prevent further attacks and ensure that affected communities were not subjected to ethnic profiling.
Beyond the security concerns, the coalition urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to increase funding for the livestock sector, proposing that at least 30 per cent of the agricultural budget be allocated to the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The leaders also called for the formal recognition and protection of the country’s 417 grazing reserves, alongside the establishment of pilot ranches and fodder production facilities in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
They said these measures would help improve livestock production, reduce competition over land and natural resources, and create a more sustainable framework for relations between farmers and herders.
Ardo welcomed the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development by Tinubu in 2024, describing the move as an important step towards addressing longstanding concerns in the pastoralist community. However, he expressed concern over what he described as inadequate funding and the absence of a clear operational structure for the ministry.
He urged the government to extend the ministry’s activities to local communities, arguing that effective implementation of livestock policies would require practical interventions at the grassroots level.
The coalition described Nigeria’s livestock industry as an economic sector worth about N30tn and argued that greater investment could support commercial production, improve livelihoods and strengthen the country’s agricultural economy.
The Fulani leaders also proposed a national dialogue involving pastoralist associations, including Miyetti Allah groups, farmers’ representatives, religious and traditional leaders, security agencies and state governments.
They said the discussions should prioritise accountability, compensation for victims, conflict prevention and peaceful coexistence. The coalition further claimed that farmer herder conflicts had caused more than 20,000 deaths over the past decade.
The group appealed to federal and state authorities, community leaders and development partners to work together towards a lasting resolution of the crisis.
It stressed that equal access to justice, improved security and inclusive development were essential to restoring confidence among affected communities and preventing further violence.
