By; Amos Tauna, Kaduna.
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Kaduna State Chapter, has called on the federal government to adopt Gambia’s policy of accepting Fulani cattle breeders from other neighbouring countries in their country.
They noted that in Gambia, any Fulani cattle breeder coming into the country must obtain the government approval, duration, route to use and must not come into the country with any dangerous weapon.
Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna, Friday evening, the spokesman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Kaduna State Chapter, Alhaji Haruna Usman noted that situation where foreign Fulani herdsmen were allowed to come into the country freely without proper documentation was posing a serious danger between the Fulanis and farmers in the country.
He observed that the ECOWAS treaty of people free movement within the sub-region was having a negative effect on the policy, stressing that until a proper policy was introduced to check the movement of people from one country to the other as a way of checking free movement of arms to other countries within the region.
Alhaji Haruna Usman explained that the indigenous Fulani in Southern Kaduna have over the years live in peace with other tribes, pointing out that, “We have live in the area for a very long time with these people and we have not had problems with them and we are still saying that there is the need for the two parties to reconsider their actions and embrace peace for the overall unity and unity of the area.
“We call on the entire people of southern Kaduna to forgive what has happened. Both parties should learn to forgive. This crisis will never end if you think you would go and revenge what happened to you, so we’re appealing to all parties to sheath their swords and embrace peace.
“We want to also support the steps so far taken by the government of Kaduna State and all the security agencies in order to return normalcy to the area.
“We call on leaders in particular, political, religious and otherwise to desist from making inflammatory speeches that could escalate the situation.
“There should be no hate speech, those speeches that paint religious sentiment or ethnic jingoism, let us all work for peace. We inherited a peaceful Southern Kaduna and I don’t think we are sensible if we bequeath to our children and grandchildren a Southern Kaduna that is fighting itself.
“We want to assure that we will continue to work with people of goodwill. In southern Kaduna, there are good people that are out for peace.
“I want to make it clear that there are Chiefdoms where you never, ever experience any clash because the traditional rulers there are out to promote peace, even though some people mischievously leave from other places and come to attack.
“We also want to express our appreciation to the Governor of Kaduna State because out of his wisdom he decided to resuscitate the peace process started by late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, which was first of all identified all the people affected in the crisis, sit down with them, iron out every details and then forgive.”
