Southern Kaduna: Fulani Leaders, Traditional Rulers Sign Peace Deal

CHANNELS TV

Fulani leaders and traditional leaders in Kaduna state have agreed to a peace pact aimed at ensuring an end to the bloody clashes that have left several people dead with property destroyed in southern Kaduna.

This is an aftermath of a meeting called by the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, which saw him along with heads of other security agencies in Kaduna meet with traditional rulers and leaders of Fulani community.

The intervention by the GOC follows recent escalated attacks by suspected herdsmen in about ten communities in Jemaa and Sanga local government areas of the state, that have left several people dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

Having informed the people about the purpose of the gathering, the leaders made their presentations and the meeting later went into closed door.

After about five hours of deliberation, journalists were brought into the room where the GOC read out their resolutions.

They include the setting up of a peace and reconciliation committee to resolve all pending issues, banning of child herdsmen from grazing with cattle on farmlands and major roads, and prohibition of carrying of fire arms by herdsmen among others

The GOC appealed to the warring parties to sheathe their swords for the interest of peace.

He warned that any party or individual found involved in any further attack would be prosecuted according to the law.

While expressing displeasure over the spate of killings in the area, he gave the assurance that security agencies would continue to discharge their responsibilities of protecting lives and property in the area.

Emerging from the closed door parley, the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Baba Othman, gave the assurance that his people would abide by the resolution.

He told journalists that a committee would be set up by all the parties for full implementation of the resolutions.

Over the years, there has been several ethno-religious crises that have ravaged many communities southern Kaduna.

Since the beginning of 2017, not less than ten villages in Jemaa and Sanga local government areas both in the southern part of Kaduna state have come under heavy attacks by gunmen that have left scores of people dead.

The gunmen attacked three villages, Godogodo, Akwa’a and Anguwan Anjo, killing over 60 people freely and destroying houses and farmlands.

Just about four days before the peace meeting, seven people including a community leader were murdered in cold blood with no trace of their killers.