The Miyyati Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria  Kaduna State Chapter has risen against what it called incessant dangerous misinformation and lies being dolled out against government agencies and Fulani herdsmen by the Southern Kaduna peoples Union, SOKAPU.

The reaction is contained in a statement titled “SOKAPU AND ITS FREQUENT PRESS RELEASES; END OF THE ROAD” issued on Sunday by the MACBAN, Kaduna State Chapter Chairman, Alhaji Haruna Usman Tugga and made available to newsmen in Kaduna,

MACBAN said the inability of SOKAPU to conceptualize the exact figures of casualties and properties and homes destroyed or come average the number of people displaced so far, should therefore be seen as the end of the incessant lies by the Union.

It said the leadership of SOKAPU was  solely acting on their own by shouting and crying wolf in spite of the brazen fact that some blood thirsty individuals have been organizing selective and strategic genocide of Fulani herdsmen over long period of time resulting in collosal losses.

It noted with concern that the Union had
never honoured any pact on resolutions reached in Southern Kaduna by the various groups that were concerned about the wanton killings and wealth destructions in the area.

Rather, SOKAPU’s concern, the statement added, was to blackmail security agencies and government at all levels

“We at the Miyetti Allah have appreciated every effort that has ever been made by the recognized and patriotic security agencies particularly the Operation Safe Haven headed by a professional and patriotic soldier in person of Major General Dominic Onyemulu and other security agencies operating in the area with government at all levels”,

SOKAPU as a group, MACBAN said, was still living and thinking behind civilization, and that the southern Kaduna tribesmen have not come to terms with the contemporary fact that the era of violence and brutality as solutions to solving problems have since been phased out to be replaced by advanced discussions, dialogues and shifting grounds in order to accommodate other tribal groups with opposing views.

The statement reminded SOKAPU that the Fulani herdsmen have equal rights of indigene and absolute rights of settlement at where ever place that is legally allowed for human habitation.

It  informed SOKAPU and those it called their sponsors hiding in the dark that the Fulani tribes and clans are here to emphatically say that they are more indigenous, more patriotic, more industrious and much more resilient than them.

On the accusations of the arrest of some elders with emphasis on one 85 years old man,  MACBAN said  “it is revealing that the said 85 years old man is an old soldier who has been tactically and strategically involved in the training and indoctrination of some of their militias in the deep jungle of southern Kaduna” the statement alleged.

Here under is the Full text of Press Release-:

Miyyati Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Kaduna State Chapter

PRESS RELEASE

SOKAPU AND ITS FREQUENT PRESS RELEASES; END OF THE ROAD!!!“

There is a limit at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue” Edmund Burke Necessity has compelled us to respond to the Polemic, pejorative and unfortunate piece cum press releases always signed by its usual mouth piece Binniyat Luka.

It never ceases to disturb any right thinking, matured and progressive southern Kaduna various tribal groups, the incessant series of lies, unfortunate and dangerous misinformation and dangerous wrong signals against the government agencies and the Fulani herdsmen.

It appeals to our good emotions that SOKAPU has finally come to realize how powerful we are, that is why they could not conceptualize the exact figures of casualties and properties and homes destroyed or come average the number of people displaced.

It is like SOKAPU likes playing with rough figures and false numbers to gain sympathy and supports which is becoming a source of worried and concern among the good people of southern Kaduna. Blindly, the signatory to the press releases made very poor and feeble attempt of trying to subsidize the professional pedigree of Major General Dominic Onyemulu by claiming that his men at Operation Safe Haven “TRICKED” the “Atyap leaders”. For the sake of future references and mentions, the military is not a pretty body to be used for political bricks bats.

It does not need to trick some very few and irrelevant suspected individuals but only need to move in and arrest them if they were found to be culpable in the barbaric crimes they were said to have committed.

It has since come to pass that SOKAPU has never honored any pact on resolutions reached in southern Kaduna by the various groups which are concern about the wanton killings and wealth destructions in the area. SOKAPU’s concern is to blackmail security agencies and governments at all levels.

Moving forward, in regard to their accusations on the arrest of some “elders” with emphasis on one “85 years old man”, it is revealing that the said “85 years old man” is an old soldier who has being tactically and strategically involved in the training and indoctrination of some of their militias in the deep jungle of southern Kaduna.

And yet the leadership of SOKAPU who are solely acting on their own are shouting and crying wolf in spite of the brazen fact that some blood thirsty individuals have been organizing selective and strategic genocide of Fulani herdsmen over long period of time leading to the deaths of thousands of our tribesmen with collateral co-efficient.

As for the issue of Settlements question, there is no gain saying that the Fulani herdsmen have equal rights of indigene and absolute rights of Settlement at where ever place that is legally allowed for human habitation; and that is what they have been doing for more than five centuries without question or sign of crises until some group of people of southern Kaduna who are claiming ownership of lands and demonstrating Xenophobic mentality started raising eyebrows followed by destruction, cattle rustling, genocide; sending the remaining ones into various camps and unknown settlements across various axis empty handed and yet the likes of SOKAPU leaders and those who I believe only attended the school of remembering and not of critical thinking  have allowed themselves to be led into rushing to writing press releases in return for crumbs and shameful stipends from failed politicians.

Honourably, the Miyetti Allah and its members has been stoic, strong and continue to survive in painful silence with remarkable candour, the umbrella body have never attacked the state or security agencies and even the presidency which have all been doing everything within their powers at their disposal. We at the Miyetti Allah have appreciated every effort that has ever been made by the recognized and patriotic security agencies particularly the Operation Safe Haven headed by a professional and patriotic soldier in person of Major General Dominic Onyemulu and other security agencies operating in the area with government at all levels.

Emphatically, we want to register in strong terms to SOKAPU and their sponsors who are hiding in the dark that the Fulani tribes and clans are here to stay:- we are more indigenous, more patriotic, more industrious and much more resilient than them.

SOKAPU as a group still living and thinking behind civilization, the southern Kaduna tribesmen have not come to terms with the contemporary fact that the era of violence and brutality as solutions to solving problems have since been phased out to be replaced by advanced discussions, dialogues and shifting grounds in order to accommodate other tribal groups with opposing views.

In terms of benefiting, the southern Kaduna tribesmen have benefited more than the Fulani in term of appointments at the state and federal level.

Few examples will suffice; Barrister Francis Koza, a Kataf by tribe was appointed as the Secretary Kaduna State House of Assembly Service Commission after serving as the Company Secretary of Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service when his tenure elapsed. While at the National level, Prof. AK Usman a tribesman of Kataf origin is holding a lucrative National appointment as Executive Chairman Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), yet in their Biblical ingratitude, they never appreciated such laudable appointments of their tribesmen but rather they are always on the media raising a stained banner with the ironical inscription of marginalization.

________________Alh. Haruna Usman Tugga     Chairman

By Iliya Kure

A coalition of groups from northern Nigeria, Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) has expressed support on position of Southern Governors’ Forum, banning open grazing in the southern region.

“We want to state clearly that open grazing has been the greatest threat to the environment of the Northern region and also a major threat to security of lives and property in the entire country,” said National Chairman of the Forum, Elliot Afiyo, while addressing journalists, shortly after the Forum’s 27th Annual Delegates Conference in Yola, northeast Nigeria.

He also said that having extensively studied the communique issued by the Southern Governors, national dialogue was also a necessity, considering the clamour and demands for restructuring and secessions.

“But we are totally opposed to the use of 2014 Constitutional Conference Report because to us generally in the North, the Report lacks credibility due to the fact that the Delegates especially from the northern part of the country, were hand-picked based on agreements of loyalty.

“To this end, the NYLF during our special delegates conference resolved to totally support the call for national dialogue and ban on open grazing,” Afiyo said.

The group called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency and national interest consider these calls and act on them.

“In order to enforce completely the ban on open grazing, we call for the establishment of Herder’s Commission or Agency to cater for the needs of the herders through selective programmes so as to effectively Kick-Start the ranching system.

“We also condemn the statement credited to the Attorney General of the Federation on the ban on open grazing and also appeal to the President to caution his Ministers and Aides, who despite being in government for either four to six years, are still having the opposition mentality,” he added.

Afiyo explained that the conference was expected to announce its Presidential choice for 2023, but has shelved that for a later date, following the tragic plane crash that killed the Chief of Army Staff alongside other top officers on Friday.

“The death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru who happened to be a brother to our first National Chairman, which also claimed the lives of two of our members, Major Hamza and Major Hayat coupled with the security report at our disposal on the plans by two other presidential hopefuls to cause crisis if peradventure we eventually endorse and announce our own candidate for 2023 presidential elections, we decided for the sake of peace and in honour of our departed elders and colleagues, to shift the endorsement to the 5th of June, 2021, at Abuja,” he said.

On the Ill-fated plane crash, “We received with disbelief and astonishment the news of a plane crash which claimed the lives of officers of the Nigerian Army and Airforce including that of the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru.

“We sincerely and honestly frowned at the manner and rate of these plane crashes,” the group lamented.

The group called for the immediate composition of an independent investigative panel, to ascertain the remote cause(s) of the plane crash and the Report be made public.