(DDM) – The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria has issued a strongly worded warning to armed bandits and vigilante fighters involved in the escalating violence across the north.
Diaspora Digital Media DDM gathered that the association’s national president, Khalil Moh’d Bello, released the appeal in a Thursday statement describing the continuous bloodshed as disturbing, senseless and destructive to pastoral communities.
Bello condemned what he called the “shameful and brutal killings” of innocent citizens in rural belts across the region.
He said the relentless destruction of homes, displacement of families and increasing cases of livestock rustling have continued to trap pastoralists in a cycle of fear and hardship.
He lamented that herders have been turned into convenient targets for extortion by organised criminal groups operating within forested zones.
According to him, armed gangs have in several cases demanded illegal levies from herders and even forced some families to surrender young boys into bandit ranks.
Bello said volunteer vigilante groups have also contributed to the crisis by attacking innocent pastoralists instead of confronting armed bandits in their hideouts.
He maintained that many herders have been wrongfully profiled, accused or assaulted by local fighters who lack the courage to engage the real perpetrators.
The association’s president said the situation has worsened because security operations sometimes result in unintended casualties among herders caught between gun battles.
He explained that pastoralists have repeatedly found themselves standing between state forces on one side and armed criminals on the other.
Bello added that some herders are being compelled to provide cover for bandits because authorities have denied them safe access to legitimate grazing areas located deep inside forests.
He noted that insecurity has pushed many communities into silent desperation as pastoralists struggle daily with threats from both legitimate and illegitimate actors.
Bello warned that if Nigeria ever faces an external threat, pastoral communities would be among the most vulnerable, citing previous experiences in clashes involving vigilante militias and federal forces.
He stressed that KACRAN rejects and condemns any form of bloodshed, irrespective of the cause or identity of the perpetrators.
He described the killings as a heinous crime with no justification under any circumstances.
Bello criticised renewed breaches of peace agreements in Katsina, Kano and Zamfara.
He said bandits who had previously signed reconciliation deals with communities have violently reneged on the terms.
He revealed that some communities in Katsina had fully honoured peace accords before “disgruntled elements” among the armed groups launched attacks and abductions.
He said similar violations occurred in Zamfara, where bandits ignored settled agreements with farmers and resumed killings and kidnappings.
Bello urged government authorities, traditional rulers and community leaders to prioritise the protection of innocent pastoralists.
He said pastoralists remain the most exposed group in the rural conflict cycle and deserve stronger safeguards.
He appealed for a renewed commitment to peace, justice and responsible security practices that would restore confidence across affected regions.