The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has urged security agencies to launch an investigation into the killing of its Kwara State chairman, Idrissu Abubakar.
MACBAN’s national president, Baba Ngelzarma, made this appeal in a statement on Sunday, following confirmation of the incident by the Kwara State Police Command.
According to the police, Abubakar was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday in front of his home in Oke Ose, Ilorin East Local Government Area.
Officers recovered five spent 7.62mm shells from the crime scene, and his remains were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital mortuary.
Expressing deep sorrow over the loss, Ngelzarma described Abubakar as a committed leader who worked tirelessly to promote peace and improve the welfare of pastoralists.
He noted that the 33-year-old was the second MACBAN chairman to be assassinated this year, following the recent killing of the Katsina State chairman, Alhaji Sirajo Mairana. Abubakar is survived by his two wives, six young children, and his elderly mother.
Reports gathered by the association suggest that Abubakar was ambushed and shot outside his residence shortly after returning from Tarawee prayers.
Ngelzarma decried the rising number of attacks on MACBAN leaders, revealing that over the past two years, the group had lost more than seven state and local government chairmen to unknown assailants.
He also drew attention to the case of MACBAN’s national vice president, Alhaji Manir Lamido, who has been missing since 2023 while traveling between Katsina and Kaduna states.
Calling for urgent action, Ngelzarma urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the recurring attacks and assured that MACBAN would not relent in seeking justice for its fallen leaders.
(Prompt news)