From Muhammad Ibrahim, Kaduna
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar who doubles as Chairman Board of Trustees of Miyyeti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) yesterday called on both Tiv and Fulani herdsmen in Benue state to stop the fight and hostilities which has already claimed scores of lives and property worth billion of naira in the state.
According to him, such killings and clashes always occurred in Guma and Gwer West LGAs of the state.
A statement by the group’s protem National Secretary, Alhaji Sale Bayari in Kaduna said the Sultan was worried with the intensification and escalation of the feud which had led to the burning down of Tukura village, the home town of Tor Tiv and his personal house.
“The Sultan expressed sadness over the continued hostilities between the Fulani and their ‘cousin’s’ Tiv which have destroyed homes, livestock, farm produce among other valuables”, he said and condemned the unnecessary shedding of human blood on both sides of the warring groups and the mass displacement of people and animals of both farmers herdsmen in the state within last three months.
Sultan further reminded the Fulani of the meeting he had with them at his palace in Kaduna on 14 January, 2014 where he appealed to them to give him time to contact necessary authorities to address the problem.
According to him, he was still working tirelessly on finding a lasting solution to the persistent Benue Tiv -Fulani crisis in conjunction with those who matter in the state and country in general and appealed to them to remain calm and ceasefire, to allow for dialogue, reconciliation and the return of normalcy in the affected areas.
