The Southern Kaduna Joint Peace Committee inaugurated by the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Monday Pam, has called on all tribes in the area to cooperate with one another towards finding a lasting peace.
The Co-chairmen of the committee, Professor Ben Gugwong and Dr. Ahmad, while on courtesy visits to Chiefs and Emirs said there is the need to respect one another for peaceful coexistence between farmers and herdsmen.
The Committee enjoined farmers in the region to open all Cattle Routes.
The Committee while at Agwam Bajju Palace in Zonkwa, the headquarters of Zango Kataf Local Government Area and at the palace of Chief of Kagoro in Kaura Local Government noted that one of the major causes of herders/farmers clashes that need to be immediately addressed is to ensure all Cattle routes are open for Fulani herders who will be returning for grazing during the dry season.
According to them, the 10-Man committee was inaugurated to consolidate on the already peace effort built and continue to find lasting solutions to handful problems that are still existing in some parts of the area.
The committee also urged the Chiefs to help talk to their subordinates who will also assist in conscientizing the local farmers at the grassroots about the Cattle routes to ensure peace is totally restored in the area.
The committee stressed that there is the need to go back to the normal way of life where people find it difficult to distinguish between a Fulani man and other ethnic groups.
Responding, the Agwam Bajju, Mal. Nuhu Bature, commended the committee for their tactfulness and for working for peace in Southern Kaduna.
He appealed to the Committee to help advise both the farmers and herders to stay away from the Kurmin B Forest which has been reserve for history, stressing that
it has been there for almost 400 years and must not be tempered with.
Similarly, the Chief of Kagoro, Mr. Afuwei Bonet said without peace, there is no human existence, adding that people must work for peace and consider humanity first as they all came from the same God.
He further explained that one of the major problems of the farmers/herders is the underage children who are seen grazing and do not have the capacity to control cows, calling on the Fulani herders to always ensure a mature person is attached to the underage children whenever they are going for grazing.
He blamed the current security challenges that have grappled the country on modern education and politics, stressing that if the political class play clean politics, everything will work for everybody.
