Miyetti Allah disowns malicious publication against South-East

Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has said it never made any malicious publication against the South-East.

Consequently, it has urged the people of the South-East and Nigerians in general to disregard the publication in a social media platform which quoted it’s leadership as saying that the “South East will boil any moment from now because of their stubbornness.”

Related: Tension in South East over Biafra Day

The said publication has caused a lot of tension in the zone with many seeing it as a frontal attack on South-East.

Disowning the publication in a statement, the Chairman MACBAN, South-East Zone, AIhaji Gidado Sidikki, said the said statement was erroneously assigned to me.

“My mission here is simply to expose the lie in the mischievous publication. First, while it is my wish to inform the public that Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria did not make any statement to the effect of the content of the publication either in Abuja or anywhere for that matter, I humbly would wish to correctly place my designation as the Chairman of South East Zone of the association and not ‘the leader of cattle breeders in Nigeria’ as I was addressed in the primary falsehood the publication sought to disseminate.

“Again, I wish to put it on record that the South-East Zone of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (MACBAN), and her cattle herder members whom I serve as the Zonal Chairman, enjoy warm relationship with the governors, governments and people of South-East Nigeria.

“I wish to state that this warmth has not been completely devoid of flashes of momentary conflicts at few locations. Such instances were, however, promptly addressed by the authorities and warm communality restored amongst the people.

“Given the increasing orientation and reorientation of our people and the locals who are our landlords here, and given the strong commitment of the state governors to peaceful relationship across board, one harbours no doubts that the relationship between our herders and their landlords can only be increasingly better as time progresses.

“It is, therefore, my intention, while dispelling the published rumour from the pit of malicious mischief, to share my upbeat spirit with all of us. It is my utmost belief that the sincere and committed understanding we all propagate today will yield us minimal rancour if not rancour free-society tomorrow.”

Alhaji Gidado Sidikki thanked the governors of the South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo for their wonderful sense of accommodation and pledged MACBAN’s continued efforts towards greater harmonious environment for thriving economic activities and better life.