THE TROUBLING CASE OF ARMING MIYETTI ALLAH: A NATION OF DOUBLE STANDARD

Abstract

This article critically examines the controversy surrounding allegations that Miyetti Allah, a prominent socio-cultural association representing Fulani cattle breeders in Nigeria, was armed during recent state-led security operations. Although the association and relevant government authorities have officially denied any state-sponsored provision of weapons, repeated reports of individuals identified as Miyetti Allah members being found in possession of firearms have intensified public debate and concern. These incidents have sparked widespread outrage and reinforced perceptions of unequal treatment within Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly when contrasted with the disarmament, criminalization, or marginalization of local vigilantes and community-based security forces in other regions. Drawing on media coverage, official policy statements, and scholarly literature on non-state security actors and hybrid security governance, this paper analyzes how perceptions of state bias, ethnicized insecurity, and weak accountability mechanisms undermine public trust in state institutions. It further argues that such dynamics not only exacerbate existing insecurity but also complicate the legitimacy and effectiveness of state responses to armed conflict in Nigeria’s multi-ethnic and politically fragmented security environments.