by Christiana Gokyo, Jos

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria, in Plateau State, has condemned the recent killings in some Local Government Areas of the state, describing it as “barbaric and unfortunate.” Muhammad Nuru Abdullahi 

While making the assertion, chairman of the Association, Muhammad Nuru Abdullahi, stated that, “These killings will not take us anywhere, despite the killings on both sides – Fulani, Mwagavul or Berom and whoever it is – is a condemnable act.”

He was speaking with our correspondent in an interview in Jos, the Plateau State Capital on Monday, while reacting to the persistent killings in some local governments, especially Mangu, Riyom and Bokkos, respectively.

“We should try as much as possible to resolve our grievances and be in peace, as peace is the most expensive thing that we should embrace, so that we enjoy our lives,” he stated.

The chairman observed that, “With these killings, nothing is going on, religion or farming; everything has stopped because of these killings. So, I am calling on the general public in the State with the long coexistence that has been in existence for a long time as we have lived in peace with one another, should continue.”

According to him, “Things are not normal the way it was with our forefathers – killings and counter-killings – which is condemnable,” calling on the people to embrace peace so that the state will develop.

He noted that, “For the past 23 years, we have been in fighting or crises, killing one another and nobody will tell you we have gained this or that from these crises.

“The only thing is people will be shouting, crying, be sorrowful and disturbed; so, why should we continue the market that we are not profiting? So, we should avoid these killings and embrace peace,” he stated.

While calling in the government if the day to let them work assiduously to embrace and foster peace and security in the state, he reiterated that let them join hands with relevant stakeholders in the state, such as security personnel, religious leaders, community leaders and traditional leaders, among others.

“Let us come together to the Round-table, discuss the issue and proffer solutions for the crises; and I believe, if we come together and discuss, this issue will be resolved,” he noted.

“Therefore, let’s come together, sit down, bring out the issues, discuss them and proffer solutions to them; it would help us,” he appealed.

According to him, “The Mangu issue was preventable, but it’s lack of inaction, either by the government, security agencies, community leaders, traditional rulers that resulted to the killings of many people. This was as a result of ‘two-fighting’ and it became a community killings and destruction.

While sympathizing with the victims of those affected, Muhammad Abdullahi said that, “Today, items have been destroyed in Mangu and properties destroyed worth billions of naira. Mangu has been known as one of the food baskets of the nation in the state, but this year there is no farming activities in Mangu today because of the situation.”

The Miyetti Allah chairman further expressed dismay, sorrow and pathetic to see people living in peace have turned to be killing themselves. He called on the Mutfwang Government to rise on this issue and proffer solutions, adding that the governor has to act as the “driver of peace” in the state, and should plan all the peace processes and monitor them and subsequently implement them.

“If not, the killings will continue and, until when I am killed and you are killed and everybody is killed in the state, we have to come together, sit together and work a strategy to see we restored peace and order in the state.

“As a leader of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria Plateau State, I have always been calling on my people to stay calm and rear their cattle just peacefully, and they should not past it through anybody’s farmland and destroy it.

“In case of mischief, let them resolve it amicably so that we regain peace in the areas, especially Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas of the state, because those are the trouble areas,” he stated.

Speaking to journalists recently in Jos, Mr Jerry Datim of Human Rights and Rescue Operation expressed sadness over the killing of about eight (8) persons, including a six months’ old baby who were reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen in Kyarang-Tulu of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

He revealed that, “Suspected Fulanis have issued threats of further attacks two weeks after Sallah celebration on some communities. This was from the Bwai attacks where we recorded 19 dead; we had a break of one week, and Kyarang was attacked on Monday night, 26 through to 27 of June, where eight (8) people were killed in various houses, including a six months’ old baby.

He noted, with dismay that Fulani herders have continued to graze on their farmlands in communities that were earlier attacked, adding, those villages that were earlier attacked since 15th of May, 2023, the herders are grazing on the farmlands of the locals because they are not there.

“You will see a maize farm with crob already but you will see cattle eating up the farms. We have not heard anything from the government,” he stated.