The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Kaduna State chapter, has reported that cattle rustlers and related insecurity have resulted in the loss of more than 200,000 cows and the deaths of over 50 members since January 2026.
State chairman Alhaji Abdulhamid Musa disclosed this at a press briefing focused on the security and livelihood challenges facing cattle breeders across Kaduna State. He said the losses occurred under different circumstances, including bandit attacks, communal clashes, and attacks by farmers.
Recoveries and Losses Across Kaduna LGAs
Musa noted that some of the stolen animals had already been traced and recovered, with cattle found as far away as Lagos just days before the briefing. "Some [cattle] have been recovered recently, even three or four days ago. Some were recovered as far as Lagos. Our people are there trying to do the needful, collect them and return them to their owners," he said.
On the deaths, Musa said the killings fell into distinct categories. "Some are as a result of communal clashes, some are attacks by farmers, while others are killings by bandits in the process of rustling the cattle," he added, stating, "Roughly, we can say that we have lost over 50 people from January to date."
He named Kachia, Chikun, Kagarko, Giwa, Igabi, Jama'a, Kaura, Sanga, Jaba, Kudan, Makarfi, Lere, Zangon-Kataf and Kauru as areas where members had suffered significant livestock losses.
Demands for Government and Security Action
Musa described cattle as far more than a commercial commodity for pastoralists, saying the loss of an entire herd could drive whole communities into hardship. He urged the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to step up operations against rural criminality.
He also raised concerns about the Rijana livestock market in Kachia along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, saying there were allegations that animals obtained through criminal means could be entering the market.
The chairman called for joint intelligence-led operations by the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Civil Defence and other agencies in identified hotspot areas, as well as improved security along livestock routes. He asked the state government to form a committee to assess losses and consider support for verified victims.
Call for Dialogue and Non-Profiling
Musa called for greater cooperation between farmers and pastoralists, arguing that dialogue and coexistence would benefit both peace and economic development in Kaduna State.
He was clear that MACBAN did not stand behind those committing crimes. "We do not support or defend criminals, regardless of their ethnic, religious, occupational or communal background," he said, while also appealing against the blanket profiling of law-abiding pastoralists because of the conduct of criminals.
