Fulani not responsible for Benue, other killings in Nigeria – Miyetti National President

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) at the weekend resolved to register its members across the country to differentiate them from criminals as they exonerated themselves from the attacks and killings taking place in some parts of the country.

The group said most of the attacks and killings attributed to Fulani were aimed at giving them a bad name, saying they are not responsible.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the group’s maiden National Executive Council Meeting held in Kaduna, National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Muhammadu Kirowa said some bad elements disguised as fulanis to foment troubles.

The National President described Fulani people wherever they as peace loving, saying they want other Nigerian tribes to understand that.

“Fulani’s are not responsible for the senseless killings perpetrated in Kaduna, Benue, Taraba and other places. Those arrested recently in Taraba state were not fulani’s and we all saw their pictures on pages of Newspapers.

“We also know there are bad eggs in every community, but we know that those killing people here and there are not our members. It is against this background that we are going to register all the Fulanis in Nigeria to separate the grains from the shaft.

“We decided to hold this meeting in Kaduna to show the world that, we Fulani are peace loving people. We are not just going to stop here, we are going to meet with all tribes of Nigeria to charge ways forward towards ensuring peace in the country,” he said.

The National President said, the identification of the Fulani will help in knowing the real cattle breeders in the country and help in the effort to end killings perpetrated in the name of Fulani herdsmen.

According to him, the group they invited National President of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Dr. Ephraim Goje to their meeting to show their commitment to peace.

In his remarks, National President of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Dr. Ephraim Goje called on the Fulani leadership to inform their counterparts in neighbouring countries that, Nigerian Fulani were peace loving people.

Dr. Goje said it is of paramount importance for Fulani and the troubled host communities in the country to forgive themselves, in order to earn God’s forgiveness.

He recalled with nostalgia how their parents co-existed peacefully with Fulani in the past in their communities of Southern Kaduna, pointing out devil had come in-between Fulani and the Southern Kaduna people and so it was high time they joined hand together to chase the devil out of their areas.

“It was not the Fulani resident in our areas that were responsible for the various attacks on our people. My appeal is for the leadership of Fulani cattle breeders in the country to tell their counterparts in the neighbouring Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and others that there is peace agreement between Fulani and other Nigerians. Therefore any of them that is not ready to obey law and order should not come to Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, SOKAPU president called for a one minute silence and prayer for the fulani and southern kaduna people who lost their lives in the 2011 post Presidential election violence and other crises till date.