The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Kebbi State chapter, has said that sustainable peace would continue to elude Nigerians if illegal arms are allowed to remain in the hands of unauthorized people.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Kebbi State Chairman of the body, Alhaji Muhammad Ardo-Zuru, while addressing newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi, the state capital, over the weekend, urged security agencies across the country to retrieve these illegally acquired weapons from unauthorized persons. He said:
“Sustainable peace will continue to elude us if such weapons, including guns and ammunition, are left in the hands of criminals.
“For peace to endure in the country, authorities will have to ensure deliberate steps are taken to mop up all guns and ammunition in criminal hands.
“This should be in addition to prosecuting all those found wanting in the killing of innocent people, no matter how highly placed they are.”
Ardo-Zuru, expressed the desire of the Miyetti Allah to cooperate with government and security agencies to maintain peace.
“We are not in support of the call that communities should take laws into their hands, in the name of defending themselves.
“Those behind recent killings are only out to provoke other sections so they can destabilize the country,” he said.
”Our members have been killed across the country, but as leaders, we cannot allow them to avenge.
“We realized that those who attacked Fulani people in Taraba, Benue and Kaduna states carried out those attacks purposely to destabilize the country.”
