Farmers/Fulani conflict: Sultan advocates peace, harmony

Category: News Published on Saturday, 16 March 2013 05:00 Written by Yusha’u A Ibrahim, Katsina Hits: 375

THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has called on Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the country to avoid taking laws into their hands whenever there is a misunderstanding between them.

Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who made the call at a meeting with leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in
Katsina yesterday, said “you should always channel your grievances to the appropriate authority whenever you are offended.”
Represented by Dan-Malikin Acida, Alhaji Umaru Abubakar, the Sultan also urged security agents to ensure that all citizens enjoy equal treatment, saying “whenever there is crisis between the two groups, security agents must consider all parties involved innocent until proved guilty by a competent court of law.”
He, however, urged both farmers and Fulani herdsmen to always be law abiding, as according to him, peace and harmony are the bedrocks of development.
The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman urged leaders of the Association to address the problems of cattle theft, indiscipline, robbery, rapes, killings and destruction of crops among other evils that have been causing breakdown of law and order in the country.
Leaders of Fulani cattle men from Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna and Zamfara states attended the meeting, which was held at the Katsina emir’s palace.
Meanwhile, in a communiqué signed by the National Secretary of the Association, Alhaji Hamisu Shu’aibu Tunas, leaders of Fulani had blamed Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari for setting up a vigilante group comprising of only one ethnic group, which they alleged, has been attacking and killing Fulani herdsmen in the state.
The MACBAN’  leaders, therefore, called on the governor to disband the vigilante group and ensure that all citizens of the state are treated with equity and justice.
The meeting also resolved that the federal government should establish a Federal Ministry of Livestock and appoint a Special Adviser to President on Cattle Rearers’ Affairs to address the local and national problems affecting Fulani in the country.