Miyetti Allah leaders rejected claims that linked their ethnic group to widespread violence. The association made the statement after a United States Commission on International Religious Freedom report highlighted militant activities.
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria distanced the broader Fulani population from armed groups. Officials stressed that 30,000 militants did not represent 14.5 million Fulani Nigerians. They spoke in response to the May 2026 USCIRF report that estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants operated across the country.
Baba Othman Ngelzarma, the national president of Miyetti Allah, addressed the issue directly. He said the small number of criminals did not define the peaceful majority of the Fulani people.
The group argued that militants formed a tiny fraction of the community. Transitioning to their core message, Miyetti Allah officials called for caution against generalizing an entire ethnic group. They noted that most Fulani Nigerians lived as law-abiding citizens engaged in herding and other livelihoods.
Ngelzarma added that the association worked to promote dialogue and conflict resolution between farmers and herders. He urged authorities to focus on addressing root causes of insecurity instead of blaming communities.
The US report documented militant attacks that displaced over 1.3 million people, particularly in the Middle Belt and southern regions. It described groups operating in bands of 10 to 1,000 members. However, Miyetti Allah maintained that such actors acted independently and did not speak for the Fulani.
The association appealed for protection of innocent Fulani citizens. Leaders said stigmatization worsened tensions and hindered peaceful coexistence. They committed to continued cooperation with security agencies to root out criminals.
