The assistant national secretary general of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, Ibrahim Abdullahi, has said that the solution to the lingering crisis in southern part of Kaduna state lies outside Nigeria.
Southern Kaduna has been experiencing violent crisis for years now. The latest spell of violence has claimed hundreds of lives.
Killings have continued deployment of security forces to the area.
The latest killings occurred on February 20 when unknown gunmen invaded communities in two local governments Jema’a and Kauru, killing at least 14 people.
The attacks have largely been blamed on Fulani herdsmen, said to be carrying out reprisal killings following the alleged killing of herdsmen and their livestock in the area during the 2011 post-election violence.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in Kaduna recently, Mr. Abdullahi said most of the Fulani people involved in the killings were not Nigerians. Similar claim by the state government sparked outrage.
“It has to do with foreign nomads coming into the country. There are three or four international grazing routes, most of which passed through Kaduna state,” he said.
“Two of the routes are from Cameroun down through Lere and Kauru local governments, another one is from Chad Republic that came through southern part of Plateau state down to Zangon-Kataf and there is another one from Niger Republic through Kano/ Katsina down to Kaduna,” he said.
Mr. Abdullahi said it so happened that herders who were moving their cattle for greener pasture got caught up in the post-election violence.
“Many of them were killed including their cows and some of the cows were taken away. Those of them who survived returned to their homes and reported what happened.
“We got to know that most of them spread across Cameroon and Chad swore to come back for revenge. We therefore, advised the governor at the time, the Late Yakowa, to take urgent action.
“The governor agreed with us and formed a committee to go and meet with the Fulani leaders wherever they are and reconcile with them,” he said.
