Muslim Group Calls For Dialogue To Resolve Oyo’s Fulani Herdsmen Crisis

Posted by Tolulope Ogugua African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, January 24th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for a dialogue and wider consultation as means to resolve the ongoing crisis between the Hausa-Fulani herdsmen and the Oke-Ogun community in Oyo state.

The call was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

According to him violence must be cndemned at all levels by all lovers of peace even as he expressed concern on criminal acts perpetrated by unscrupulous people who want to hide under the guise of the fracas.

His words: “Instead of applying the big stick, MURIC advises the Federal Government to consult widely with elders from all the states of the federation concerning the issue of herdsmen versus farmers with a view to finding a comprehensive solution. FG should also seek advice from other African countries where the same crisis has been on the front burner at one time or the other since this conflict is not restricted to Nigeria alone. It is national, continental and universal in dimension.

“To douse tension immediately, both FG and the Oyo State government should undertake to speedily and adequately compensate victims of the latest conflict in Igangan, Oyo State. FG in particular should take greater responsibility because it is the nationwide lacuna in security matters that has been responsible for the breakdown in law and order.

“Instead of issuing threats and counter-threats, we appeal to the various ethnicities in the country to understand the nature of the conflict. Herders and farmers crisis is not a Nigerian problem alone, it is universal. Nigeria needs to seek an enduring panacea to its own peculiar problems instead of aggravating the conflict. We must learn from the war in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, etc and the attendant humanitarian disasters. This is still avoidable in Nigeria.

“MURIC’s avowed motto is ‘Dialogue, Not Violence’. We therefore advocate wide scale dialogue in the present circumstances. MURIC advises the FG to apply caution in handling the fragile situation. We call on governors in affected states to consult traditional rulers on the best solution to the crisis.”

The group further advised that all forms of confrontation and muscle-flexing should stop in the interest of peace while FG should take responsibility to compensate victims of the attack in Oyo State and engage all stakeholders in dialogue.

Written by Tolulope Ogugua, African Examiner