The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of zone D (Operations), Mr. Mike Zuokumo and Chairman Committee on settlement of communal clashes in Nigeria, is optimistic that the committee’s far-reaching recommendations will bring lasting solution to the affected areas.
He made this known on Wednesday in a meeting with Fulani, Berom, Taroh, Hausa communities at the police officers mess in Jos .
Zuokumo said that the federal government has already given them terms of reference on how to coil the communal attack, saying the common denominator of the crisis are the Fulanis in all the states they have visited.
The committee has also been to Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kaduna and Zamfara state.
He noted that other states the committee is scheduled to visit are Edo, Delta and Katsina,saying Plateau was the sixth.
According to him, in Plateau state we all knew that we been having problems here, ethnic problem and cattle rustling between the Fulani herdsmen and the local farmers.
The DIG decried that the problem kept rising where Fulani complained of rustling their cows while farmland are destroyed.
“We want this to be an end, Nigeria is a good country. Nigeria is a blessed land for Arabic farming meaning that it can support life of people to live in peace and harmony with their neighbors”.
He added, “Nigeria is one of the best place in the world and we are kind people, we used to be our brothers keepers.
“The Fulani and Berom and other people have been living together for hundreds of years, there hasn’t been any killing or crisis, then why are we having crisis now?
“Those are the issues in this meeting and I am of the opinion that if everyone of you cooperate with me and find a solution to it’s”.
He said with this committee in place, we can achieve something out of our differences, the problem now that is between the fulani and other ethnic groups we will continue to take measures that will bring an end.
This dialogue will afford you the opportunity to discus face to face that is why I want us to open up. I am sure there are Fulani here who will want to express their mind, the Angas ,Taroh we believe that this gesture would accelerate the challenges of 12 year old conflict in Nigeria.
Mike Zuokumo lamented that we have lost lives and we have lost settlements, we have lost friends and relatives but this thing must come to an end today we take it at treaties of 1648 that took place in American.
The Traditional ruler of Vwang , Peter Gyang said, it is purely terrorism that some group trying to invade. Nigeria through some routes they are using mostly they speak fulani in perpetuating this act.
He warned they should stop allowing foreigners into Nigeria TO kill innocent people.
He said, when we attack the fulani they usually come for reprisal attack so we continue to call on our people to preach peaceful coexistence.
We are calling on the fulani to build relationship with the farmers to stop the killing.
Ardo Fulani Hado Dabo Boro Bokkos local government said most of their people were absence during the meeting which will not bring an end to the attack.