The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has condemned the recent killings in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna state, expressing concern over the rising cases of cattle rustling, kidnapping and attacks on farmers and pastoralists across the North West and North Central regions.
In a statement issued Thursday by its National President, Hon. Khalil Mohd Bello, the association described the attacks as barbaric, inhuman and a threat to Nigeria’s food security and national unity.
Bello expressed sadness over the killing of innocent citizens, particularly farmers, saying the violence was undermining efforts to boost agricultural production and ensure food security.
“It is with deep sorrow that we condemn these senseless killings of law-abiding Nigerians who are working on their farms to feed their families and the nation. We reject in totality any act of violence, cattle rustling and kidnapping of farmers and pastoralists,” he said.
KACRAN noted that the continued insecurity was occurring at a time when concerns over food shortages were growing, warning that persistent attacks on farming communities and pastoralists could further worsen the country’s food security situation.
The association stressed that farmers and pastoralists had coexisted for decades and remained critical partners in national development, adding that most disputes between both groups often begin as minor disagreements that could be resolved through dialogue if addressed promptly.
Bello also decried what he described as the growing stigmatization and profiling of Fulani pastoralists by some vigilante groups, insisting that many herders had themselves been victims of banditry through cattle rustling, kidnappings and killings.
“It is wrong to label every Fulani as a bandit. Banditry has no tribe or religion,” he stated.
The association further expressed concern over recurring attacks affecting farmers, herders and travellers in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Benue, Plateau, Niger, Kwara, Kogi and Kaduna States.
KACRAN called on bandits, armed groups and vigilante members to immediately cease hostilities and embrace dialogue as a pathway to lasting peace.
The association also appealed to the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to adopt its National Peace Roadmap, which it said offers practical, community-based solutions to insecurity.
According to Bello, the proposed roadmap prioritises dialogue and negotiation, protection of grazing reserves and farmlands, engagement of repentant bandits to encourage others to surrender, and the recovery and confiscation of illegal weapons after the peace process.
He expressed confidence that with political will and sincere implementation, the roadmap could significantly reduce insecurity across the North West and North Central within three to four months.
KACRAN reaffirmed its readiness to work with the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders to restore peace, strengthen trust and promote sustainable development across the country.