A Fulani group, the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) has pledged to collaborate with concerned authorities in Nigeria to end the killings in Benue, Kogi and other states in the Middle Belt region.

Arising from a national emergency meeting held in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Tuesday, GAFDAN regretted the raging war between farmers and herdsmen in parts of the country as well as the resultant loss of innocent lives and destruction of property.

In a statement released through its National Chairman, Alhaji Sale Bayari, the group claimed that the influx of displaced animals and persons from the Benue clashes was responsible for the crises in the neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Taraba and Kogi.

GAFDAN warned that if the situation was not immediately brought under control, it had the capacity to engulf the entire nation and result into an ethno-religious conflict that politicians may exploit to cause  national upheaval.

“The GAFDAN observed with sadness the negative activities of other herders’ associations that played unhelpful and inciting roles in escalating the Benue herders-farmers crisis through their double speak on the anti-grazing law as well as their provocative and sub-judicial remarks while the matter was still in court, eliciting threats and actions from tribal associations in the state.

“Our association, having played so much role, has the confidence of both the herdsmen, security agencies and the farmers to intervene as a law-abiding association to douse the tension and bring about lasting peace to Benue and other states affected by the unfortunate bloodletting,” the statement said.

While recalling the role played by its National Chairmen as the then Secretary of the Sultan’s Tiv Farmers/Fulani Cattle Rearers Relationship Committee under the chairmanship and co-chairmanship of the late Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar and the late Tor Tiv, Dr. Torkula Akawe in curtailing the protracted conflicts in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states through peaceful means, GAFDAN added:

“With this experience, the Association believes that it has the capacity to intervene and put in place all necessary measures to ensure that there is peace and order in Benue State.

“The Association hereby calls on both the federal and the state governments as well as the citizens and security agencies to partner with it to bring to a roundtable, all the warring parties to urgently put an end to this carnage and politicization of human blood.”