The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has pledged to work with state governments, traditional rulers and security agencies to tackle kidnapping, banditry, cattle theft and other criminal activities across the South-West.
The group said it was prepared to take an active role in efforts to restore peace and strengthen relations between farmers and herders in the region.
Its chairman, Alhaji Sanni Muhammad, made the position known on Saturday during a press briefing at the MKO Events Centre in Iseyin, Oyo State.
Muhammad said Fulani settlers under the organisation could no longer remain on the sidelines while insecurity continued to threaten communities.
He assured residents and traditional institutions that the group was ready to support initiatives aimed at protecting lives and property.
He also pledged the organisation’s cooperation with the peace and security agenda of governments across the South-West, stressing that criminal activities must be confronted regardless of the ethnic background of those involved.
The Miyetti Allah chairman made the declaration while addressing traditional rulers, including the Olubadan of Ibadan, the Ooni of Ife, the Alaafin of Oyo, the Soun of Ogbomoso, the Aseyin of Iseyin and the Okere of Saki.
He explained that his visit was intended to pay homage to the royal fathers and seek their blessings for collective efforts to promote peace.
He also used the occasion to reaffirm the commitment of Fulani settlers to the stability and development of Oyo State and other parts of Yorubaland.
Muhammad described the Fulani as an important part of Nigeria’s social and economic history.
He said the community had contributed to Islamic scholarship, livestock production and the country’s cultural identity.
He referred to the Fulani traditional values known as Pulaaku, which include Semteende, meaning modesty; Munyal, meaning patience; and Goonga, meaning truthfulness.
According to him, these principles reflect the values that should guide members of the community and their relationships with other Nigerians.
The group leader also expressed concern about the negative perception of Fulani people amid recurring reports of kidnapping, banditry and other security threats in different parts of the country.
“It pains me because I know the true Fulani man is a man of peace. A man who greets you with peace, whose cattle drink peacefully, whose family moves peacefully.”
He maintained that criminal activities should not be used to judge an entire ethnic group.
He urged Fulani residents to uphold peaceful conduct and cooperate with other communities to prevent further tension.
Muhammad also called for the revival of traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms to address disputes between farmers and herders.
He said community leaders and traditional institutions had important roles to play in resolving disagreements before they escalated into violence.
He argued that rebuilding trust between both groups would require dialogue, mutual understanding and a willingness to settle disputes through established channels.
He also stressed that government efforts would be more effective if communities and their leaders actively supported them.
The chairman further advocated greater investment in the education of Fulani children, calling for access to both Western and Arabic education.
He said improved educational opportunities could help prepare young people for productive lives and discourage involvement in criminal activities.
He urged members of the Fulani community to reject kidnapping, banditry, theft and every other form of criminality, insisting that anyone involved in such acts should not enjoy the protection of ethnic identity.
Reaffirming the organisation’s readiness to support security efforts, Muhammad said the group had developed approaches to addressing criminal activities and was willing to work with relevant authorities to implement them.
“Ladies and gentlemen, at this juncture, permit me to say that we, the Fulani settlers under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, are fully ready to support the state governments and traditional rulers across the South-West to wage war against any ungodly act capable of truncating the enduring peaceful co-existence in Yorubaland.
“We are fully ready to curb any security threat and nefarious activities of disgruntled elements in Oyo State and South-West region. We have fashioned out ways of addressing crime and criminality such as kidnapping, banditry, theft, etc.
“Let the farmer and the herder sit again under one tree as our fathers did. The government cannot do it alone without the blessing of us all.
“Let us speak with one voice for peace. A criminal has no tribe. Let us work with security agencies to bring back our peaceful Nigeria.
“I am not a stranger to you. I am your son. My success is your success, and your peace is my peace,” Alhaji Muhammad said.