MACBAN Urges Nigeria to Address US Terrorism Allegations

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) is urging the Nigerian government to engage diplomatically with U.S. authorities concerning a bill introduced by five U.S. lawmakers that proposes sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, against former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The bill, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2026, is sponsored by Congressmen Chris Smith, Rilei Moor, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga.

It calls for the Secretary of State to determine if certain Fulani ethnic militias in Nigeria should be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. MACBAN President Baba Othman Ngelzarma expressed concerns about the increasing association of these groups with terrorism, which he described as false and damaging to Nigeria's international reputation.

He urged Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address these allegations and ensure that the country's counter-terrorism efforts are not undermined by external narratives that disregard domestic judicial processes.