Kachia crisis: 1,000 Fulani now refugees – Miyetti Allah

From Muhammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

State leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria yesterday raised alarm that about 1000 Fulanis were made refugees in Kachia Local Government Area of the state during the recent crisis.

The association led by its state Chairman, Ardo Ahmadu Sulaiman stormed the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretarial in Kaduna to say they were disturbed with the way and manner they were attacked at their settlements.

According to him, Fulanis were not part of the crisis, saying they have been living peacefully with the people in the town.

“We are worried about the Kachia crisis because some people used the opportunity to follow our people to their settlements to attack them. This incidence made us to believe that some people are waiting for a slightest opportunity to attack us.

“Fulani men are not directly involved in the crisis but they went after our people killing and destroying our property. Presently, we have more than 1000 refugee Fulanis. They are there in Military barracks together with other people affected by the crisis.

“They burnt Fulani houses, more than 100 Fulani settlements were bunt all in Gumel district. 12 people were confirmed death and we have buried them,” he said.

The Fulani leader also said about 20 cows were killed and that a number of their kinsmen are still in the bush and their fate is unknown.

“We are appealing to the state government to fish out all those responsible in this crisis. Whoever they arrested should be taken to court so as to serve as deterrent to others,” he said.

He also assured that as leaders they will make sure they visited their people to console and plead with them to always remain in peace wherever they are.

In his remarks, the Fulani Leader in Kachia, Ardo Toro Bello said;

“We didn’t know why they attacked us because we are not fighting anybody. Some of our leaders were killed in the crisis including our cows. We are not happy with the commissioner of Police who denied that there was lost of lives in the crisis,” he said.