"Hausa/Fulani lived in Southern Kaduna before any tribe"

Hausa/Fulani – The Director, Media and Publicity of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACAN), Kaduna branch, Ibrahim Bayero Zango has reacted to the incessant killings going on in the southern part of Kaduna, Daily Times Nigeria reports.

In an interview with The Nations, he revealed that the people of Southern Kaduna are being attacked as a result of religious, political tribal and land disputes.

He also insinuated that the strife was between the Katafs, who are claiming ownership of the land and the Hausa/Fulani indigenes, who believe they lived in Southern Kaduna before other tribes settled in.

Zango stated, “No single tribe in Southern Kaduna is more indigenous than us.

“It is those tribal and religious fanatics that are describing the Hausa/Fulani of Southern Kaduna as settlers.

“The entire land of the area belongs to the people of Southern Kaduna of which we are part of.”

Furthermore, he noted, “No one can deny the fact that Hausa/Fulanis are among the indigenous tribes of the Southern Kaduna. All the tribes in Southern Kaduna are immigrants. They were not there before us.

“Our forefathers had lived in Kaduna for more than three centuries. They were there before the Jihad,” he said.

Hence, he stated that no tribe had the right to claim Southern Kaduna as theirs.

To futher prove the Hausa /Fulani as indegenious owners of the land, he stated, “We are not strangers or settlers as the Kataf and other tribes will want people to believe. For instance, the oldest towns or communities like Kajuru, Kaceccere, Zango Town, Matsirga, Kafanchan belong to the Hausa/Fulani.

“Even communities like Tashan Daji, Dutsen Bako, Zankuwa, Kagarko, Jere, Janjala, Tafa, Walijo, Maraban Walijo, Gumel, Ungwan Rimi among others occupied by the Christians today initially belonged to Hausa/Fulani.

“As a result of sectarian crises, the Hausa/Fulani were forced out of these communities and they have been taken over by the Christians,” he noted.

Zango continued, “After taking over the communities, they have renamed them. For example, they have renamed Tashan Daji as KamuruIkulu and Ungwan Rimi is now called Ungwan Rimi Bajju.

“To prove to you that the Hausa/Fulani are indigenes, the oldest traditional institution in the area which is Jama’a Emirate belongs to the Hausa/Fulani.

“That is why we have the Emir of Jama’a as the oldest traditional title in Southern Kaduna. The emirate belongs to Hausa/Fulani. Besides, the Chief of Tsam chiefdom is a Muslim, the Chief of Kauru is a Muslim, the Chief of Ayu is a Muslim, the Chief of Kagarko is a Muslim and the Chief of Jere is a Muslim.

“The Emir of Kajuru is a Muslim. So, there are some many communities and towns and emirates that belong to Hausas and Fulanis Muslims in Southern Kaduna.

Moreover on the bandits killing people in the region, he blamed the gruesome act on the Kataf religious fanatics, while exonerating the Fulanis.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder Association head stated, “the Hausa/Fulani Muslims were killed in June by Kataf religious fanatics, following a dispute on a piece of land between the Hausas of Zango town and Kataf community.

“We lost many Muslims in the attack. I can show you pictures of their corpses and where they were buried.

“Up till now, they have not told us the reason for killing innocent Fulani nomads.

“Why then are the Fulani being accused of killing people? After all, our people were attacked and forced out of the area. If they can fight and kill why did they run away?

Similarly, speaking on the political point of view of dispute, he stated, the Kataf and other tribes in Southern Kaduna are supporters of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Most of the Hausa/ Fulani population in Southern Kaduna has sympathy for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

“That is why people look at issues from a political or religious point of view,” he opined.

Also referring to the religious stand point, he emphasized, the Kataf don’t see anything good in the administration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai simply because he is a Fulani man.

“They just attack our people for what I will describe as a transfer of aggression.

“Again, these people are mostly Christians. While we are Muslims. They don’t want to have anything to do with Muslims.

“I don’t know why we should allow religion to divide us, he lamented.

He however, urged for peace to reign between the Muslims and Christians as it is the lasting solution to the killings in Southern Kaduna.