…As YCE lauds President Buhari on RUGA suspension, advises on security***
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Thursday urged the leadership of the Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to call their members who are violent to order, as a more credible solution to the ongoing crisis.
The CAN President, Dr Samson Ayokunle stated this at a news conference in Abuja, stressing that until they were called to order, they cannot regain the trust and respect of Nigerians.
The cleric explained that nobody hates the Fulani until some Fulani began to act violently and killing innocent people.
CAN said that if there was any enemy from any Fulani man, the Fulani man created the enemy for himself, as they have been living peacefully for many years in our various communities, till the killing issues started.
“In those days, our children married them, they married our children, but when they became too violent and started carrying AK47, killing people, what type of play is that? That’s a dangerous play.
“We can no longer think we are friends with that type of play it’s too dangerous. So, let them call their people to order and ensure that they remove the enmity they have created around an average Fulani person,” he said.
He challenged their leaders to call out the violent ones among them to order, that is the only way people will respect them and people can trust them again.
Ayokunle also charged the government to step up its security system across the country with a view to stopping the unending killings.
He further said that the association had taken its stand in the alleged rape case against the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Pastor Abiodun Fatoyinbo, noting that the allegation no matter how bad it may be, remains an allegation until proven otherwise, that is until it is properly investigated and we have a truth to hold onto.
“We have told you without mincing words that we will never support immorality in whatever form, it is alien to the culture of the church, to the teachings of Christ.
“And there is no pulpit that I know in Nigeria that the members are taught immorality, but we will not condemn until we have reasons to condemn, let the panel come out with the result let’s know what the truth is.
“I told you in the press release we issued that we have given the right to Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), because we don’t deal with individual churches, we deal with blocs.
“We have directed PFN, an arm of a bloc, which is also large enough to investigate that matter. I am telling you under God that PFN has set up that panel and that panel had been given two weeks within which to submit its report,
“Not only that, the two individuals involved have been invited by the committee and we are assuring them that nothing will be covered,” he said.
Also read: Farmers-herders conflicts: Miyetti Allah seeks CAN collaboration on solutions
In a related development, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, for suspending the RUGA project.
The pan Yoruba group made this commendation in Ibadan on Thursday at the end of its special meeting on the state of the nation.
Dr Kunle Olajide, the Secretary-General of the council, who spoke on behalf of the elders, said the conference unanimously urged Buhari to do more to restore the full confidence of Nigerians in his administration.
The YCE expressed worry that the grazing routes of the pre-independence era and the First Republic had been wiped off and in most cases, taken over by housing estates.
The group said that the idea of “nomadic grazing is no longer feasible because of the destruction of farmlands and crops by cattle led by herdsmen, which had impoverished the farmers.
It, therefore, urged the state legislature in the Yoruba speaking states to enact a law outlawing nomadic grazing in their respective states.
The council noted the palpable tension in the country arising from the frightening state of insecurity, which had now spread from the North East and was gradually enveloping the whole country.
The group urged the president to heal the wounds in the polity by reassuring Nigerians of the safety of their lives with actions.
It urged Buhari to revisit the 2014 National Conference reports and the El-Rufai Committee report on devolution of powers, advising him to send relevant bills to the National Assembly in that respect.
The council also advised him to study the report of the 2014 National Conference and identify the aspects of the document that could be implemented immediately for the security and unity of the county.
The elders, however, expressed shock by the gruesome murder of Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Chief Rueben Fasoranti, Afenifere leader, describing it as one too many.
The council called on the South West governors to embark on the deployment of technology to monitor forests in the zone so as to flush out criminals masquerading as herdsmen.
It assured the president of its support to build a truly egalitarian Federal Republic of Nigeria, where justice and progress would reign supreme.
Also, the YCE called on all Nigerians to avoid making inflammatory statements in this difficult time but to let their efforts and speeches unite the people ‘not to polarise them’.
Meanwhile, Justice Ademola Bakre (rtd), has emerged as the new President-General of the YCE during the special meeting.
The representatives of the council from the Southwest states; Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, Oyo and Osun unanimously elected Bakre.
Members of the council from Kwara and Kogi states also attended the meeting.