Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with critical stakeholders from Atyap, Fulani, and Hausa communities, all from the Atyap chiefdom of Zango Kataf.
The meeting was called to address the escalating violence and killings in southern Kaduna.
In attendance were representatives from the military, police, intelligence agencies, international organizations, and other resource persons who have been involved in arbitration and mediation in the Southern Kaduna crises.
The communities in southern Kaduna have been embroiled in land disputes, kidnapping, and killings over the years, with community leaders pointing accusing fingers at one another.
The meeting was part of the state government’s efforts to find a lasting solution to the intractable crisis.
The stakeholders, who spoke to journalists after the four-hour meeting, noted that the discussions included immediate, mid-term, and long-term solutions.
They expressed optimism that a breakthrough could be achieved in resolving the crisis, agreeing that only dialogue and not guns could resolve the crisis in the region.
Haruna Usman, the Kaduna State Chairman of Meyitti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, said that the aggrieved parties who attended the meeting had agreed to settle their differences and live in peace. Salim Musa Umar, Chairman of the Farmers/Herders Association, also noted that the Atyap, Hausa, and Fulani communities had agreed to resolve their differences and report back to the government in two weeks.
The Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Community Development Association Forum, Bature Likoro, urged the people of southern Kaduna to understand one another and live in peace.
The stakeholders reiterated that building peace is a process and not an event, and that communities must continue to engage in dialogue to resolve any issues that arise.
In conclusion, the meeting was a significant step towards finding a lasting solution to the crisis in southern Kaduna.
The stakeholders’ agreement to resolve their differences and report back to the government is a positive sign that peace can be achieved in the region.