FPP, AFAN, others to address farmer/herders’ crises

Foundation for Peace Professionals (FPP) in partnership with All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) havepartnered to address the issue of farmers and herdsmen clashes in Nigeria.
The Executive Director, FPP, Abdulrazaq O. Hamzat, in a press statement issued in Abuja lauded AFAN to have agreed with FPP that the crisis ravaging the country is the handy work of some criminal syndicate to pitch both parties against each other and urged them to sustain their peace ties.
“In a report yesterday carried by several newspapers,” All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) were quoted to have said, “We agreed to work together to expose the criminals from among us to ensure peace and prosperity in Nigeria.
“I have to make it abundantly clear, we represent MACBAN, and we are a peaceful association working together with AFAN in order to bring peace to this country.
“We don’t control the entire Fulanis in Nigeria; we only represent our registered members who are the legitimate pastoralists, the peace loving pastoralists who are doing their peaceful legitimate business of cattle rearing.”
The FPP further called on government to set up an anti-crime force to combat organized criminality in states affected by such clashes.
It maintained that this is very important because the major cause of crisis in the states is criminality, not ethnicity or religion as being insinuated by many.
“The organisation therefore commends the two organizations for their joint initiatives and urges them to continue to work together in the interest of peace and justice,” he said.