Open grazing: Miyetti Allah denies giving Delta 72-hour ultimatum

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association Of Nigeria has denied giving a 72-hour ultimatum to Delta State Government to reverse its laws on open grazing.
Secretary-General of MACBAN, Usman Baba-Ngelzerma, said some faceless individuals and mischief makers were behind the ultimatum.
An unknown group on Sunday threatened to attack Asaba and Agbor in Delta State if the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, failed to withdraw the resolution to ban open grazing within 72 hours.
The unsigned letter of threat was pasted in some locations across the state.
“We hereby demand the Governor of Delta State to immediately withdraw his earlier stand on the call to ban open grazing in 17 regions (referring to 17 southern states) in not less than 72 hours from the above date, and also withdraw his position as the leading voice for the governors,” the letter said.
The threat did not go down well with some socio-cultural groups such as the Southern and Middle Belt Elders Forum and Pan Niger Delta Forum who threatened to fight back.
Baba-Ngelzarma said such statements from an unknown group should not be given consideration.
He further described MACBAN as a responsible association with eminent personalities such as the Sultan of Sokoto as its patron, and as such would never do anything to jeopardise the peace of the country.
Baba-Ngelzerma who however insisted that the position of the group on open grazing still remained unchamged, urged northern governors to ensure the recovery of all grazing routes in the country as Fulani herders have equal rights with all Nigerians and could not be treated as second-class citizens.