The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has challenged the Federal Government and governors in the North-West and North-Central to adopt a 45-day framework to tackle banditry through dialogue, stakeholder engagement and decisive action against armed groups that reject peace.
The association proposed two weeks of engagement with relevant groups, followed by one month of implementing its proposed peace framework, arguing that the two regions had the leadership, population and institutional capacity to address the persistent security crisis.
In a statement signed by its National President, Hon. Khalil Bello, KACRAN expressed concern over escalating insecurity, including killings, mass displacement, cattle rustling, destruction of property and the restriction of farmers’ access to their farmlands.
It urged the Federal Government, state governments, traditional rulers, religious leaders and political stakeholders to work collectively to restore peace ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the association, continued banditry threatens lives, livelihoods and food security, particularly because the affected regions are important agricultural and livestock-producing areas.
KACRAN maintained that decisive leadership and coordinated action could help resolve the crisis, warning against postponing peace initiatives until after the 2027 elections.
It said immediate action would enable displaced residents to return to their communities, resume farming and livestock production, and rebuild their livelihoods.
The association cited Kaduna State Governor, Malam Uba Sani’s, approach to resolving the Birnin Gwari conflict through dialogue involving traditional rulers as an example of how engagement could help address prolonged security challenges.
It also pointed to reported improvements in parts of Katsina State through dialogue, urging other governors in the North-West and North-Central to consider similar approaches where appropriate.
KACRAN commended Uba Sani for what it described as his commitment to peace, unity and economic development, calling on other state governors to emulate his approach.
However, the association stressed that dialogue must be accompanied by firm measures against armed groups that refuse to embrace peace or continue to attack innocent citizens.
It argued that military operations alone had not delivered the desired results despite substantial government expenditure on security, adding that a broader strategy was needed to address the underlying causes of violence.
The association also warned against establishing ethnic or tribal vigilante groups, cautioning that such initiatives could provoke rival formations and deepen insecurity.
Instead, it advocated a comprehensive approach combining peaceful conflict resolution with employment opportunities for young people in agriculture, livestock development, fisheries, industry and commerce.
According to KACRAN, sustainable peace would create the conditions for economic recovery and allow the government that emerges in 2027 to concentrate on development rather than inherit an unresolved security crisis.
Drawing parallels with Rwanda’s recovery following the 1994 genocide, the association expressed confidence that determined leadership and coordinated efforts could help Northern Nigeria overcome its security challenges and rebuild affected communities.
It appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the governments of the affected states to consider and support its proposed 45-day peace framework.
KACRAN also condemned recent killings in Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara states, alongside attacks on innocent citizens, cattle rustling and the destruction of property.
It called for an immediate, coordinated response involving government authorities and community leaders, emphasising that dialogue must be backed by effective security measures to protect communities and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
