By Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), as a peace-loving and law-abiding organization, is deeply concerned about the persistent insecurity in the North-West and North-Central geopolitical zones of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A press statement by Khalid Muhammad Bello the National President of the association said, this prolonged crisis has resulted in the avoidable deaths of thousands of innocent Nigerians, the destruction of property worth trillions of naira, and hundreds of thousands of livestock — the mainstay of millions of families.
Particularly distressing is the incident reported by Amnesty International in Kwara State, where several pastoralists, including women and children, were allegedly arrested and detained at an NYSC orientation camp in one Local Government Area. Reports indicate that over 150 detainees lost their lives due to disease and poor living conditions.
In light of these developments, KACRAN makes a solemn appeal to all Northern leaders to face reality and take collective, decisive action to address insecurity in the North-West and North-Central.
The KACRAN firmly believes that if the North is truly committed and sincere, it has the competence, capacity and human capital to end insecurity in these two zones.
The region is endowed with former Heads of State, eminent politicians, retired and serving military generals, civil servants, reverred traditional rulers, captains of industry, and other critical stakeholders. If they work together, they can identify the root causes of insecurity and resolve them through dialogue, lawful enforcement and other constructive measures.
“The solution lies with us because there is no justification for the people of Northern Nigeria to fold their arms and continue to blame President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a challenge that is largely internal and solvable by ourselves. Ownership, not abdication, is required.
“Mr. President has taken commendable steps to address insecurity in the North, including appointing Northerners as National Security Adviser and Ministers of Defence, and appropriating over ₦5 trillion to the Defence Ministry.”
According to Khalid, if the north continues to wait for the Federal Government alone to deliver lasting peace, while some exploit the situation for political gain through endless blame and condemnation, the region risks irreversible economic and political damage. The time to act is now.
By God’s grace, the north will remain a united region long after any administration. “We were one people before the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914. We must not allow politics to destroy a house we all inhabit.The relative peace achieved in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, and parts of Katsina State shows that dialogue works when northern leaders act as a team, regardless of tribe, religion, or political affiliation,” he added.
The KACRAN recognizes the Governor of Kwara State as a man of peace who has demonstrated genuine interest in livestock development. His creation of a Ministry of Livestock Development, and the redeployment of the Commissioner for Agriculture to head it, is a clear testament to his commitment to pastoralists in the state. “We therefore do not blame His Excellency for the unfortunate incident.
“Nevertheless, we call for a thorough, transparent investigation and the immediate release of any innocent pastoralist currently in detention and facing hardship. Beyond this, we urge Northern leaders to treat this incident as a wake-up call. Only a united, proactive approach can prevent a recurrence in Kwara or any other state.
KACRAN is hopeful and prayerful that northern leaders will consider these suggestions for urgent implementation to restore peace, unity, love and mutual respect among the people of the North-West, North-Central, and Nigeria at large, he said.
