Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Dr Walid Jibrin, has said disputes between Fulani and their host states in the Southwest, do not have to end in a war over land ownership in the country.
He said while Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore's claims of owning every land in the country is faulty, it is also wrong for states to issue ultimatums, demanding that other fellow citizens, leave their states.
Walid's statement seems to be in agreement with the Presidency who said it is wrong for Ondo State government to "unilaterally oust thousands of herders who have lived all their lives in the state on account of the infiltration of the forests by criminals."
Kalid who's calling for truce and dialogue, in a statement obtained by SaharaReporters, on Tuesday, said, “I am calling on all Nigerians, especially the Ondo and Oyo states' governors, all security outfits in the affected states and the Fulani to adopt the necessary reconciliation tactics and rely on effective dialogue in solving all misunderstandings going on among the states and the Fulani living in the states.
"Yorubas, Igbos, Ijaws and the Fulanis must live peacefully forever. I do not support anyone who says that all lands in Nigeria belong to the Fulani. All lands belong to every state.
“I support governors trying to solve these problems between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in every state. The order given to Fulani residing in Ondo to evacuate from the state immediately should be reversed and allow the elders and governors forum to handle this matter peacefully and amicably.
“As a prominent Fulani leader myself and responsible elder statesman, I am making all efforts to invite all Fulani associations to come together for a truce that will solve this matter without any fight or war.
“We have been living peacefully in Nigeria since after the Biafran War. May I congratulate all our state governors for their efforts in handling the Fulani herdsmen issues, hoping that the problems will soon come to pass.”