Fulani cattle herders association says it is willing to dialogue with local communities

FULANI socio-cultural organisation the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (Macban) has said it is willing to enter into dialogue with any community in search of peace in the country in response to the growing criticism of its members.

 

Over recent years, Fulani cattle herders have been accused of terrible atrocities across Nigeria as they have been involved in several bloody disputes with numerous communities. Heavily armed with AK47 assault rifles, Fulani herders have been fingered in countless massacres and reprisal attacks on communities that have complained about their cattle causing damage.

 

Nomadic Fulani herders drive their cattle across Nigeria and in the process damage crops and agricultural farmland, which has created bad blood between the herders and local farming communities. This has led to local people taking up arms against these herders and the tit-for-tat killings have left thousands dead in many Nigerian states.

 

Last month, Fulani herders were accused of kidnapping former finance minister Chief Olu Falae following an altercation on his farm near Akure in Ondo State. These incessant attacks have led to calls for the federal government to ban nomadic cattle herding and to create grazing zones to which the Fulani will be confined.

 

Saying that it is willing to sit down and discuss ways forward, Macban said it was willing to talk to any community, adding that calls to ban its members from roaming the country were unnecessary. Macban's national president Alhaji Muhammadu Kirowa, said he also appreciated all the security efforts being taken and commended the National Human Rights Commission for its fair understanding of the situation.

 

Alhaji Kirowa added: “We are willing and open to dialogue with all communities in search of peace and curtailing the excesses of the herders in a lawful and constructive manner. The Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere and indeed the whole world should know that the Fulani herdsman is a peace loving person, who through his business activities had helped in contributing immensely to the socio-economic development of the country because he is the sole producer of meat, dairy/hides and skin.

 

"He must, therefore, not be seen as an ordinary criminal simply because he roams the wild in search of green pasture for his animals."

 

He added that Macban condemned what had happened to Chief Falae in strong terms and they had extended their sympathy to him. He thanked God for sparing Chief Falae's life from the ungodly act by some criminal elements.