The Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has slammed the Fulani Nationality
Movement for creating what it termed ember of discord among Nigerians.
MACBAN said the recent comment
made by the Fulani group in the media suggested that they don’t want peace in
the nation.
Baba Othman Ngelzarma, National
Secretary, in a statement personally signed and sent to DAILY POST on Sunday,
called on the Nigerian government to go after those heating up the polity with
inflammatory comments.
The state reads in full.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) condemns in its totality the recent
upsurge of violence in three Local Government Areas of Plateau State where
hundreds of innocent lives were lost and millions of naira worth of properties
destroyed. This violence must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
The Association commiserates with
the good people of Plateau State, particularly the families affected and His
Excellency, the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong who had invested so
much energy in the last three years to ensure that peace and tranquility is
sustained for the well-being of all. We also appreciate the support of the
Federal Government in deploying more security Personnel to sustain the peace
and steps taken so far.
We, however, regret that some
unpatriotic citizens across the divide are hell bent on destroying the long
term efforts to build peace in the State. Government must deal with those
playing politics with the lives and property of ordinary citizens.
It is our belief that there are
no gainers, and all are losers in this crisis. Government, civil society peace
building activists and so many communities had invested so much in ending the
cycles of violence and making the peace, and we should not allow these efforts
to fail.
We are particularly concerned by
a series of incendiary social media accounts, also relayed by the mainstream
media that have further heightened the tension. One example will suffice here;
a faceless group with the name “The Fulani Nationality Movement” -(FUNAM),
which came up with a very inflammatory press release which is aimed at fanning
the embers of hatred and sowing the seeds of discord between the Fulani and
other Nigerians.
We make bold to say that to the
best of our knowledge there is no such association in Nigeria. It was therefore
hastily crafted to cash in on the unfortunate events in Jos in order to fuel
the crisis further. Government should investigate this issue, find out the
purveyors of such hate speech and prosecute them for their crimes against the
Nigerian people.
We urge the government to be fair
and just to all in handling the crisis and provide necessary support and
assistance to the victims in order to reduce their sufferings.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breeders’ Association of Nigeria welcomes the Federal Government’s National
Livestock Transformation plan, which we believe will go a long way in reducing
the unnecessary feuds that had characterized the relationship between
pastoralists and farmers across Nigeria. We urge all Nigerians to think along
the lines of finding win-win solutions that would work for both pastoralists
and farmers so that the country as a whole can progress.
We also call on security agencies
to be more proactive in dealing with signs and symptoms indicating the
emergence of communal conflicts so that issues could be resolved before they
get out of control.
We condemn the attitude of
allowing communities blocking highways and hacking innocent travelers to death
without them bearing the consequences.
MACBAN wishes to state
emphatically that as an organization we don’t believe in reprisal attacks
because two wrongs cannot make a right. We uphold the rule of law, we stand for
peace and security for all and are willing to partner government at all levels
and our neighbours to ensure that peace is restored, sustained and achieved.
MACBAN is ready to work with
religious leaders across the divide (Muslim/Christian) for the sustenance of
peace and well being in Nigeria. As such we appeal to all religious leaders to
be conscious of statements that will further increase religious intolerance in
the country.
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