KACRAN condemns Kaduna killings, seeks adoption of National Peace Roadmap

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has strongly condemned the recent killings in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, alongside the growing incidents of cattle rustling, kidnapping and attacks on farmers across parts of northern Nigeria, warning that the escalating insecurity poses a grave threat to the nation’s food security and unity.

 

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National President, Hon. Khalil Bello, the association described the attacks as “barbaric” and “inhuman,” saying the continued bloodshed was undermining agricultural production at a time Nigeria is facing increasing food insecurity.

 

“It is with deep sorrow that we condemn these senseless killings of law-abiding Nigerians who are working on their farms to feed their families and the nation. We reject in totality any act of violence, cattle rustling and kidnapping of farmers and pastoralists,” Bello said.

 

KACRAN expressed concern that the violence is occurring as millions of Nigerians face worsening food insecurity, stressing that continued attacks on farming communities and pastoral settlements could further deepen the country’s food crisis.

 

The association maintained that farmers and pastoralists have historically depended on one another to sustain agricultural production and rural livelihoods, warning that continued hostility between both groups would only worsen insecurity and economic hardship.

 

According to Bello, many disputes between herders and farmers begin as minor disagreements over land use or grazing routes but often escalate into deadly conflicts because they are not resolved promptly through dialogue and community engagement.

 

The association also decried what it described as the indiscriminate profiling of Fulani pastoralists as criminals, insisting that many herders have themselves been victims of banditry through cattle rustling, kidnappings and killings.

 

“Pastoralists were among the first victims of banditry. Their cattle were rustled, their families kidnapped and many were killed for refusing to cooperate with criminals. It is wrong to label every Fulani as a bandit. Banditry has no tribe or religion,” the statement said.

 

KACRAN noted that violent attacks against farmers, herders and commuters have continued across several states, including Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Benue, Plateau, Niger, Kwara, Kogi and Kaduna, calling for urgent and coordinated measures to halt the cycle of violence.

 

The association appealed to bandits, armed groups and vigilante organisations to immediately lay down their arms and embrace dialogue as a pathway to lasting peace.

 

It also urged the Federal Government to adopt what it described as its National Peace Roadmap, a community-based conflict resolution framework designed to address insecurity in the North-West and North-Central regions.

 

According to KACRAN, the proposed roadmap advocates dialogue among affected communities, protection of both grazing reserves and farmlands, engagement of repentant bandits in peace-building efforts and the recovery of illegally held firearms after reconciliation processes.

 

The association expressed confidence that, with strong political will and effective implementation, the initiative could substantially reduce insecurity in the affected regions within a few months.

 

KACRAN reaffirmed its readiness to work with the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to restore peaceful coexistence between farmers and pastoralists and improve security across the country.

 

The latest appeal comes amid growing concerns over persistent attacks on farming communities and pastoral settlements, which analysts say continue to threaten agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods and national food security.