MACBAN to U.S. Congress: don’t associate us with terrorism

Ngelzarma said any international blacklisting or stigmatisation of the association’s legitimate actors could lead to economic loss, trade disruption, and further marginalisation of vulnerable communities.

MACBAN, he said, has consistently worked with federal and state security agencies in intelligence sharing and lawful interventions, in mediation and peace-building platforms, in technical committees on grazing reforms and livestock modernisation, in livestock identification, and in regulated grazing systems.

The MACBAN president, who addressed reporters alongside the association’s executives, said: “The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) hereby addresses the public, the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the international community regarding concerns arising from the Bill before the United States Congress, titled: H.R. 7457 – Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.

“While we acknowledge the sovereign right of the United States to deliberate on matters relating to religious freedom and human rights, we are deeply concerned that emerging narratives surrounding this Bill have increasingly sought to associate MACBAN, a lawful Nigerian association, with terrorism and mass atrocities.

“MACBAN was established in 1986 and is a legally registered corporate entity under Nigerian law. For four decades, the association has operated openly, maintaining national, state, and local government structures across the federation with executive officers democratically elected every four years. We are recognised by federal and state governments as a legitimate stakeholder in livestock development, pastoral welfare, and conflict mediation.

“Our constitutional objectives have remained consistent and transparent: promotion of pastoral welfare and economic advancement; livestock development and modernisation of husbandry practices; peaceful coexistence between pastoralists and host communities; collaboration with security agencies and government institutions in conflict prevention and resolution.

“MACBAN has never condoned crime in whatever ramification. We abhor banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and cattle rustling - all forms of violent extremism - and we unequivocally reject all forms of criminality. No court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or abroad has ever convicted or indicted MACBAN as an organisation for criminal or terrorist activity. To conflate the alleged actions of isolated criminal individuals with a registered corporate association is not only legally unjust but also dangerously simplistic.”

He said the association’s pastoralists have been major victims of criminality.

Ngelzarma said armed groups and bandits have attacked the communities where the association’s members live, rustled cattle, displaced families, and assassinated their leaders.

According to him, in 2025 alone, at least “eight of our state leaders were killed by criminal elements”.

He added: “These tragedies underscore that we are victims of insecurity, not perpetrators of it. We are reverently appealing to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence to consider a formal resolution expressing the Senate’s position on the erroneous characterisation of MACBAN and to activate the Parliamentary diplomatic channels to engage the U.S. Congress constructively.”

MACBAN urged the Senate President and the National Assembly to intervene legislatively to safeguard the integrity of Nigerian institutions.

Ngelzarma said: “We affirm the National Assembly’s commitment to protecting registered Nigerian organisations from unjust international designation. Failure to address such mischaracterisation may: prejudice Nigeria’s international image; embolden sanctions-based targeting of Nigerian associations; and undermine public confidence in the state’s ability to protect its lawful institutions.

“We urge the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to initiate urgent diplomatic engagement with relevant U.S. authorities to correct erroneous narratives associating MACBAN with terrorism, present verifiable evidence of our lawful registration, regulatory compliance, and decades-long peace-building record and ensure Nigeria’s official position clearly distinguishes between recognised socio-cultural associations and criminal elements acting outside the law.

“Given the strategic role of the National Security Adviser as head of the Nigeria Section of the U.S.–Nigeria Joint Working Group, we respectfully request that this matter be elevated within bilateral security dialogues to ensure that Nigeria’s counterterrorism cooperation framework is not premised on false equivalences. Nigeria’s security architecture must not be undermined by external narratives that disregard domestic judicial processes and lawful institutional status.

“We call on the Nigerian and international media to avoid sensational, stereotype-driven, or skewed reportage. Complex security challenges require nuanced reporting, not generalised profiling of entire communities. “Irresponsible narratives deepen divisions and hinder reconciliation efforts. We urge balanced engagement with verified sources and stakeholders before drawing sweeping conclusions.”

MACBAN, Ngelzarma said, remained unwavering in its commitment to national unity, constitutional order, peaceful coexistence, livestock sector modernization and full cooperation with Nigerian security agencies in combating criminality.

“We respectfully urge the Federal Government to protect legitimate Nigerian institutions from unjust international designation and ensure that law-abiding citizens engaged in producing the bulk of Nigeria’s animal protein are not unfairly stigmatised or economically harmed.

“Justice must be individual. Accountability must be evidence-based. And international engagement must reflect fairness, legal precision, and respect for sovereign institutions,” he added.