The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has demanded that security agencies urgently investigate the killing of its Kwara State chapter chairman, Alhaji Idrissu Abubakar.

National President of MACBAN, Baba Ngelzarma, issued the call in a statement released by the association’s National Secretary, Bello Gotomo, on Sunday in Abuja. The plea follows confirmation from the Kwara State Police Command that the 32-year-old livestock advocate was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Saturday night at the entrance of his residence in Oke-Ose, Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area .

The police spokesperson, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the murder in a statement, noting that five expended 7.62mm bullet casings were recovered from the scene. The victim’s body was later taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital mortuary.

Mr Abubakar was reportedly shot dead by unidentified gunmen at about 10 p.m. on Saturday in front of his house at Oke Ose, Ilorin East Local Government Area.

According to Ms Ejire-Adeyemi, police detectives swiftly responded and recovered five expended 7.62mm shells from the scene.

She added that his remains had been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) mortuary.

Reacting to the incident, the President of MACBAN condemned the killing of the association’s youngest state chairman, who, he said, was committed to peace and advancement of pastoralists in the country.

“The Miyetti Allah cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) mourns the killing of the Chairman of the Kwara State Chapter, Idrissu Abubakar by unknown gunmen on Saturday night at his house in Ilorin.

“Idrissu, aged 33, is the second MACBAN Chairman to be killed this year, barely two months after the killing of the newly elected Chairman of Katsina State chapter, Alhaji Sirajo Mairana.

“The deceased left two wives, six young children and his aged mother,” the president said.

Mr Ngelzarma described the deceased as a committed member of MACBAN who was looking forward to the transformation of the livestock production system in the country.

He said that based on the information gathered by the association, the assailants shot Mr Abubakar in front of his house around 10 p.m. after driving home from Tarawee prayers (fasting congregation prayer).

The president condoled with the family of the deceased, the Kwara government and the entire members of the association across the nation.

“We called on the security agencies to thoroughly investigate this incessant killing of leaders of the association by criminals.

“In the last two years, MACBAN lost over seven State and Local Government Chairmen to unknown gunmen.

“The National Vice President of MACBAN, Alhaji Manir Lamido had been missing without trace since 2023 while travelling between Katsina and Kaduna states,” he said.

Mr Ngelzarma assured that the association would do all it takes to unravel those involved “in this dastardly act of cowardice.”

(NAN)