Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) has assured that it can put a permanent end to the herders/farmers’ crisis in Benue State.
The group in a statement signed by its National President, Alhaji Sale Bayari, accused other herders’ associations of inciting and escalating the crisis in Benue through their provocative, subjudiced utterances while the matter was still in court, adding that “these have elicited threats and reactions from tribal associations in Benue State.”
GAFDAN said, “Our association, having played no such role, has the confidence of both the herdsmen, the security agencies and the farmers, to intervene as a law-abiding association to put out the fire, douse the tension, and bring about lasting peace to Benue State and other states affected by the bloodletting conflict.”
The group recalled the role its leader, Bayari played as the secretary of the Sultan’s Tiv farmers/Fulani cattle Rearers Relationship Committee under the chairmanship and co-chairmanship of the Late Emir of Gombe, Alh Shehu Abubakar. and the Late Tor Tiv, Dr. Torkula Akawe respectively, which exhaustively addressed farmers/herders protracted crisis by identifying and proffering peaceful measures to the crisis.
“With this experience, the association believes that it has the capacity to intervene and put in all the necessary measures to ensure that peace and order returns to Benue and other affected states.
“The monumental loss of lives and collateral damage of property is unacceptable.
“If the crisis is not brought to an end, it could engulf the entire country and results in ethno-socio-religious conflict that politicians may inflame further to cause a national upheaval,” the group added.
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