The reported abduction of 30 Fulani women by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect has been debunked by the Borno State chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
The Cable News Network (CNN) had during the week reported that 30 Fulani women were abducted near Chibok, the scene of abduction of over 200 school girls two months ago and the report was reproduced in some national dailies.
The same foreign media subsequently reported that the terrorist group, realizing the value Fulani herdsmen place on their cattle, demanded 20 cows for each of the abducted women.
But in an interview with journalists in Maiduguri, Chairman of MACBAN in Borno State, Alhaji Amadu Musa, said the reported abduction of over 30 Fulani women was not true.
He said, “We need to tell the world that there is nothing like that; our women and girls are intact. It takes us this long to respond because we made series of consultation to avoid issuing conflicting statements that will generate tension.
“Though our people are nomads who frequently move in search of pasture, I have representatives in all the 27 local government areas of Borno State. We have Lamido’s and Ardo’s in all localities. We took time to consult all of them and there was no incident of abduction. I believe the whole furor is the creation of some people.
“Specifically, our representatives in all towns and villages near Chibok met on Thursday at Askira Uba and none of the officials had any incident of abduction in his domain. We equally crosschecked with our people coming back with their cows and families to the extreme northern part of Nigeria from southern part of the country and confirmed that all are well”, the chairman said.
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