A leader of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the troubled southern Taraba has dissociated the Fulani ethnic group from the wanton killings in southern Taraba saying criminal elements among the warring parties were responsible for the crisis.
While giving an insight into the nature of the crisis between the Fulani and Kuteb ethnic groups in Takum and Ussa LGAs, the Chairman, Southern zone MACBAN, Yau Ibrahim Barewa, said criminal elements were responsible for the crisis and therefore community leaders from the warring groups, government and law enforcement agencies must rise to the occasion by making sure those “evil people” don’t dwell among the people.
Barewa regretted the non -adherence to the laws of the land by certain persons as well as the flagrant violation of the peace agreement signed between the two ethnic groups who had lived peacefully from time immemorial.
“I want you to understand something here. There are bandits that were driven from other places who are searching for where to settle down. Those evil people are looking for places of refuge. In our meeting with the Kuteb people, I made a reference to that. I pleaded with them for us to ensure peace and disallow such evil people from dwelling amongst us.
“Our area is a blessed land which is suitable for both farming and rearing of animals. There are rich water sources throughout the year.
“Now, this fight between Fulani and Kuteb started in 2017. So we allowed strange people to dwell amongst us. And they usually wrongly identify the Fulani people with those evil people. I want us to understand the situation. If we are not careful, God forbid, it has gone beyond what we are thinking. The Kuteb is not safe, the Fulani is not safe. In fact, other tribes are not safe in the whole situation. Whoever is within this territory; if he tells you he is safe, then I don’t think he is telling the truth. When you ply the road from Takum to Mararaba, you are at risk of attackers and kidnappers. It’s like a clash between Fulani and Kuteb but it has degenerated and is affecting other tribes including the security agents. We learnt of the death of some immigration officers. They are not members of any of the tribes here. Therefore, it has turned into banditry,” Barewa disclosed.
He blamed in particular the Kuteb ethnic group for not adhering to the peace agreement earlier signed with the Fulani, saying lawlessness has become the order of the day.
“What is happening in Ussa, Takum and Yangtu Development Area; from our understanding, is a failure to obey directives on the part of the Kuteb people. If I can remember, last year there was a peace agreement that was signed and the killings stopped. It was agreed that whoever defaulted; whether on the side of the Fulani or on the side of the Kuteb, must be prosecuted according to the laws of the land.
“We have laws in the land and we have all signed an agreement. If something happens like this, why can’t we collaborate with the law enforcement people in order to deal with it? So there is the failure of adhering to the laws of the land. They want to make the place a breeding ground for banditry. If you ask a Kuteb man what his grouse with the Fulani is, he will have no concrete explanation to give. The reason he can give is ‘destruction on his farmland”, he added.
The Nigeria Standard had reported that the Kuteb Yatgso of Nigeria (KYN), the umbrella body of the Kuteb nation, had lamented the killing and displacement of their people.
In a press conference last week, the President of KYN, Emmanuel Ukwen, described the crisis as having a political undertone.
“Dozens of innocent citizens have been killed by bandits in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu. Equally, thousands of people have been displaced from their homes.
“I want the whole world to know that about 80% of Kuteb people are farmers and with the current wave of attacks, if care is not taken to stop the conflict, farming activities may be grounded and famine will be inevitable in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu, he said.
