KACRAN demands NEDC include herders in recovery plans, citing exclusion

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The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has publicly called on the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to prioritize livestock development in its future plans, stating that the region's pastoralists have been largely excluded from post-insurgency recovery efforts.

While acknowledging the NEDC's tireless efforts in rebuilding critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and roads, KACRAN delivered a stark critique, arguing that its members have received minimal direct benefits from the commission's projects.

In a statement on Friday ,the association's National President,Hon. Khalil Mohd Bello, emphasized that pastoralist communities have disproportionately suffered from the insurgency.

He described it as critical and shocking that these communities, who live and work in the conflict-ridden rural areas, remain at the receiving end of programmes focused on urban development.

“Pastoralists operate primarily in the bushes, the epicentre of the conflict, making them and their livestock the most vulnerable.

"Countless pastoralists have been killed, and hundreds of thousands of livestock—their sole means of livelihood—have been stolen or rustled,"Bello stated.

To address this perceived imbalance, KACRAN has laid out a series of demands for the NEDC, including;the direct distribution of thousands of livestock to members who lost their herds to insurgents and provision of essential support such as animal feed, water points, and relief materials.

"Other are;the formal integration of a dedicated Livestock Development programme into the NEDC’s 2026 Policies and Programmes and the association contends that this strategic shift is essential for fairness and inclusive development, enabling pastoralist communities to rebuild their livelihoods and fully contribute to the region's economic recovery.

The appeal highlights the ongoing challenge of equitable resource distribution in Nigeria's conflict-affected North East, bringing attention to the specific needs of the vital livestock sector, which claims to have been structurally neglected