Leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the southern parts of Kaduna State have pledged to collaborate with security agencies to address insecurity in the region.
The leaders made the pledge at a meeting convened by MACBAN on Sunday in Kafanchan, the headquarters of Jema’a Local Government Area.
Speaking at the meeting, Mato Yahaya, Southern Kaduna zonal chairman of MACBAN, stated that it had become imperative for the group to seek a way out of the security challenges bedevilling the area.
“We cannot stand idly by and allow insecurity to take firm root in our communities. Therefore, I urge us all to be frank in our submissions and suggest practical ways of resolving the security problems facing us,” he added.
Mr Yahaya urged the participants to engage in activities that promote peaceful coexistence between the Fulanis and other people.
In his remarks, the Kaduna State MACBAN chairman, Abdulhamid Albarka, explained that the meeting was convened to gather the input of local Fulani leaders and forward it to security agencies.
Mr Albarka tasked the Fulani leaders on the need to expose criminal elements in their midst to avoid suspicion of collusion.
“If we don’t fish them out, they will give us a bad name, and we don’t want that at all,” he stated
On his part, the national organising secretary of MACBAN, Hassan Tugga, who hails from the zone, stated that the group is committed to ensuring that the relative peace being enjoyed in the area is not disrupted.
Mr Tugga called on community leaders to always report any suspicious persons or activities in their domain to the relevant authority.
He also appealed to the media to always give factual and balanced reportage on the security situation in the zone.
Others who spoke emphasised the need for herders to obtain permission from farmers before grazing on their farmlands, especially after crops had been harvested.
The meeting was attended by Fulani leaders from the eight local government areas that make up Southern Kaduna.