President of the Arewa Youth Assembly for Good Leadership, Abdul Danbature, has called on the President Donald Trump-led United States government to clarify the proposed sanctions on Miyetti Allah, following a resolution by the US House of Representatives urging sanctions on the group over alleged religious persecution in Nigeria.
In an interview with News Central, Danbature expressed concern over the United States’ proposed sanctions on Miyetti Allah, questioning whether the action targets the entire Fulani ethnic group.
He argued that Miyetti Allah is a diverse association comprising individuals from different walks of life, adding that it would be misleading to treat the organisation as a homogeneous terrorist entity.
Danbature maintained that Trump’s decision to sanction Miyetti Allah suggested a lack of proper knowledge about the group’s composition and purpose.
He said, “Miyetti Allah is a group of Fulanis. In this group of Fulanis, we have professors, students, herdsmen, doctors, and governors. We also have terrorists, or let me say bandits, inside. If America or Trump said they have sanctioned Miyetti Allah, does that mean they sanctioned the entire Fulani or what? That is why we are not clear, because it is just a group of people that came together.
“So if Donald Trump will just go ahead and say he has sanctioned the sponsors of terrorism, if Donald Trump had said he had sanctioned bandits, we would have taken it seriously. But for him to say he sanctioned Miyetti Allah — did Donald Trump really know what Miyetti Allah means? I don’t think that man knows.”
The United States House of Representatives had, on Tuesday, introduced a resolution urging the Departments of State and Treasury to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and organisations, including Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria(MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, over alleged violations of religious freedom in Nigeria.
The resolution, filed as H. Res. 860 in the 119th Congress by Rep. Christopher Smith and co-sponsored by Rep. Paul Huizenga, commends President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) due to alleged persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.
Supporters of the measure said the redesignation would strengthen diplomatic efforts to hold the Nigerian government accountable for religious persecution and to ensure the protection of minorities.
They further urged the United States to impose visa bans and asset freezes on individuals and entities allegedly responsible for religious freedom violations, including Miyetti Allah groups, and to list Fulani-ethnic militias operating in Benue and Plateau States as Entities of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act.
The resolution, which also called for transparency in US aid to Nigeria and tied future assistance to human-rights performance, has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees for further consideration.
If approved, it would reinforce Trump’s CPC decision and pave the way for additional congressional or executive actions against those accused of violating religious freedoms in Nigeria.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TV
- Relationship Hangout: Public vs Private Proposals – Which Truly Wins in Love?
- “No” Is a Complete Sentence: Why You Should Stop Feeling Guilty
- Relationship Hangout: Friendship Talk 2025 – How to Be a Good Friend & Big Questions on Friendship
- Police Overpower Armed Robbers in Ibadan After Fierce Struggle
