Sheikh Gumi Seeks Establishment of Ministry of Nomadic Affairs

An Islamic cleric, and scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has called for the establishment of a Ministry of Nomadic Affairs to attend to the needs of pastoralists in the country.

The former military officer made the call at a one-day national security summit on pastoralism in Nigeria organised by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), in collaboration with the Northern Consensus Movement held in Abuja.

The submit theme was: “Exploring the contemporary security challenges facing pastoralists and Fulbe in Nigeria”.

Gumi said that the Fulani herders and other aggrieved groups should be accorded the same treatment given to the Niger Delta militants.

“Government should focus more attention on these people because they always say they are aggrieved.” 

 “What I expect from the government is nothing less than what it did when the Niger Delta youth were vandalising the economy.”

“I think the government needs to be more proactive; they need attention.”

“The least they need is a Ministry of Nomadic Affairs that will look into their problems,” Gumi said.

Also speaking at the event, former Minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau, called for better welfare for pastoralists to tackle security challenges.

He noted that the pastoralists should be given access to quality education, healthcare facilities alongside skills acquisition programs should be organised for them.