Fulani herdsmen from different parts of Nigeria have boasted that nobody can stop them from grazing their cattle in any part of the country, especially in the south. They described such restriction as unconstitutional.
The nomads, who spoke to newsmen under the auspices of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, dismissed the ultimatums given by different groups for the herdsmen to vacate the southern part of the country.
This is despite the fact that groups, including foremost Yoruba farmers’ pressure group and ethnic militia, Agbekoya Farmers Association of Nigeria in the South-West; the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (South-East); the Independent Peoples of Biafra (South-East); and some ex-Niger Delta militants in the South-South, stated their readiness to defend their territories should herdsmen attack their communities again.
Suspected Fulani herdsmen, who grazed their cattle from the northern part of the country to the southern part, had been accused of killing, raping and robbing members of their host communities.
The Enugu incident, where several lives were lost, was the most recent.
But the herdsmen, in separate interviews with newsmen on Saturday, noted that it was wrong for people to restrict their movement as the constitution guaranteed their movement into any part of the country.
The Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Plateau State, Mr. Nuru Abdullahi, said nobody could deprive Fulani herdsmen of their constitutional right of free movement.
Abdullahi said, “Why would they ask them not to go to the southern part of the country? It is their constitutional right to move freely as guaranteed by the laws of the land. What the various governments and security agencies should do is to prevent attacks and counter-attacks and such things that breed violence like cattle rustling and trespassing into farmlands.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of movement for every citizen of the country; this includes the right to live, work and carry out any legitimate activity in any part of the country. If and when you breach this freedom, then, the law should deal with you. So, asking anybody not to go to any part of the country is unconstitutional.”
Also, the Chairman, MCBAN, North-West Zone, Mr. Ardo Ahmadu Suleiman, warned against criminalising all Fulani herdsmen over the attacks.
He said, “We are law abiding citizens of Nigeria. The constitution forbids anybody or group from banning anybody’s movement from one part of the country to another. We have been staying peacefully with tribes across the country for ages. Therefore, for anyone to say he wants to ban Fulani from entering their land is uncalled for.”
However, several socio-cultural and militia groups in the southern part of the country on Saturday stated their readiness to reject the invasion of their communities by Fulani herdsmen.
Agbekoya gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to stop the incessant attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on farmers in Yorubaland even as it vowed to retaliate any attack on its members.
The position of the group was made known by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olatunji Bandele, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday.
According to Bandele, if the Federal Government fails to act decisively within the stipulated time, the Agbekoya will have to defend its people with whatever means at its disposal.
Bandele said the association held an emergency meeting last Thursday where it discussed the incessant onslaught by Fulani herdsmen against Yoruba farmers, especially in the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State.
He stated that if the situation was not brought under control, the group would “close down all markets in the South West; make sure that Fulani herdsmen do not enter any village in Yoruba land with their cows. And if they dare enter, they are doing it at their own risk.
“We have alerted Agbekoya South West warriors across Yorubaland to be battle ready in case the Fulani herdsmen do not heed our warning because this thing has continued for the past four to five years now.”
Bandele added, “We have other security measures that we are taking but keeping to ourselves. If the Fulani herdsmen failed to heed our warning and they dare enter Yorubaland, they will be doing so at their own risk. We are waiting for the Federal Government to take decisive action.”
The deadline, he added, started to read from last Thursday.
Asked if the group was now arming its members against the reported sophisticated fire arms of the suspected herdsmen, Bandele said, “We are not bothered with whether they carry arms or not, we will deal with the Fulani herdsmen hands down. We have done it before. The Agbekoya fought a 14-month war with the military. That was in 1968/69. We have instructed our warriors. Anywhere they kill farmers again, we will move in.”
Asked what the association would do per chance any part of Yoruba land was attacked, he said, “We will retaliate.”
The leader of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, lamented that Igbo people had been “talking and talking” while they watched their people being killed. He stated that it was time for “action” to end killings by herdsmen.
Madu said, “The Fulani herdsmen are cowards. After the recent attacks, they ran away. If they mean business, let them wait for Ndi’gbo and we will engage them man-to-man.
“It will be demeaning to ask us if we have the capability to confront them.”
IPOB, another Igbo secessionist group which dismissed security agencies as failing to secure the people, alleged that Boko Haram had been disguising as herdsmen to attack parts of the country.
The Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, stated that the group would not be at the forefront of reprisals against criminal herdsmen in the region but would encourage those under attack to defend and retaliate in self defence.
He said, “The world is watching IPOB; the plan was for us to retaliate the attacks by Fulani herdsmen but we will not do so. Rather, we will ask those who are under attack to defend themselves or get killed.
“The international rule is that you have the right to self defence if your life is under threat; security agencies know that. Face whatever or whoever is going to kill you or you die.”
Another Yoruba group, Oodua Peoples Congress, said although the Yoruba were perceived as accommodating, the group would not sit by and pretend as if all was well.
The National Coordinator of the OPC, Mr. Gani Adams, told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that the attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the region had gone out of hand.
Adams said, “Nowadays, it is becoming too rampant in the South-West. Now, nobody is provoking the Fulani herdsmen; they are the ones taking laws into their hands, killing and maiming innocent people in their (victims’) communities.
“These Fulani herdsmen may even be Boko Haram in disguise. If government is looking at this as if they are an influential tribe or race in Nigeria and that they can’t tackle it, it may become a very serious security treat.
“We the Yoruba think that we are highly accommodating and that if a stranger who is living in our community has committed an offence, the law should take its own course. But I know for sure that the South-East will not allow their people to be maimed.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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"They described such restriction as unconstitutional" You guyz have been grazing your cattle's all over the world since existence, but your new form of constitutional grazing when you graze along with people farms homes and lives is what other citizens would resist, we have poultry farms, fish ponds, and other forms of agriculture, none have we use to inconvenience other part of the country but since you guys respect your cows more than lives, better remain in your part of the country as the space is big enough to accommodate everyone, as they are no special grasses to make your cow feed fatter than what you have in your zone, we are now even sitting contemplating banning beef, so need to bring them over here. bye
ReplyDeleteMust the do their grazing? They should do it in their lands or better still get an animal farm. Look at how the yoruba tribe made them self clear and straight and ndi igbo are their talking jagons
ReplyDeleteSee these fura eating nomads quoting the constitution.
ReplyDeleteThe constitution you are quoting is d one that allows u take over host communities, rape women, destroy farmlands and kill people.
It's OK.
Let this clueless Govt fold their arms and form not knowing that things are going in the wrong direction.
Anytime there is a crisis, this Govt won't address it. They will rather come up with stories of more stolen funds recovered, new arrests made and additional charges filed in Court against corrupt politicians.
Mr 0% corruption, Nigerians are hungry.
Your people have destroyed the North and now want to extend their bad luck to the South.
Your plans will not work.
My people, watch out and see. When this heat gets too much, PMB will take off for another foreign trip.
Make we see how him no go travel between today and the 15th.
Free movement is one thing but if you steal what does your Quran say?
ReplyDeleteFoolish talk ? The constitution guarantees your right of movement to south to kill innocent citizen abi ? Violence must be match with violence the constitution guarantees self defense too
ReplyDeleteIt's just so funny that this pple dnt know where to draw the line, how will the know when even the ones we feel are educated dnt know the diff b/w right and wrong. You use your business to spoil another man's business after words you still sell to the same person. This country is getting funnier by the day,
ReplyDeleteSomebody should tell them that attacking, killing, looting and burning places of worship in their host territories is also unconstitutional and will be resisted.
ReplyDeleteFulani herdsmen,but it is constitutional to kill,steal and destroy other people's lives, property,homes,farms and all they live for? You people are wicked,selfish and evil,but will not succeed.
ReplyDeleteIn that case you all should sign your obituary before coming down south cos both you and your cattle will be slaughtered and burnt to ashes. Imbecilic, uncircumcised and deranged hausa/fulani animals. We are waiting for you.
ReplyDeleteWHERE IS MASSOB?
ReplyDeleteWHERE IS IPOB?
PROF WOLE SOYINKA A YORUBA MAN HAS CRITICIZED THIS KILLING OF IBOS..
THE REVEREND FATHERS IN ENUGU STATES PROTESTED LAST FRIDAY..
ONE MAN IN IBOLAND IS SILENT OVER ALL THIS TIME...
CHIEF EMEKA ANYAOKU SHOULD SAY SOMETHING ?????
WHERE IS MASSOB?
ReplyDeleteWHERE IS IPOB?
PROF WOLE SOYINKA A YORUBA MAN HAS CRITICIZED THIS KILLING OF IBOS..
THE REVEREND FATHERS IN ENUGU STATES PROTESTED LAST FRIDAY..
ONE MAN IN IBOLAND IS SILENT OVER ALL THIS TIME...
CHIEF EMEKA ANYAOKU SHOULD SAY SOMETHING ?????
Is fr. Mbaka not from Enugu? Abi God neva tell him wetin to talk?
DeleteThe Fulani herdsmen are talking of constitutional right of their cows but neglect other people rights to live in peace. I am sure this people needs education to understanding their own existence. It is just a pity that the elites among them never consider the less fortunate among them to be equal to their own class. Does these herdsmen think the number of their Cows can be compared with the number of Cows in the West?.
ReplyDeleteIf their leaders really want us to live together in peace, it is high time for them to do the right thing before the whole issue escalate to unexpected trouble in the country. Establishment of Ranches is the best solution.
It is unfortunate that with fertile lands in the South,Cows are making farming difficult for the indigenous people. If the herdsmen value their Cows, the Southerners value their existence.
They are right but only if they feed on Freeland and not on innocent farmer's land and livelihood.What they are doing is trespassing on other's land and the owner of the land ha every right to defend itself with any means he deems appropriate.The southwest,southsout and southeast need to know the distinction and not commit murder.I however believe they have every right to shoot on site if they trespass on their land.The farmers also have the right to send them back in a body bag should they attack them.I wonder what kind of police force we have that common cattle herders walk freely in nigeria with sofiscated weapon and not get stopped n arrested.This police officers are interested in only manning checkpoints to extort money from innocent citizens.Fulani cattle readers should only be found with sticks and maybe knives for mercy killing of cows that r about to die.If they are however found with weapons,the communities should attack them immediately and send them back in body bags.How can a guest come to my house with a gun when u are not a police officer or a soldier?
ReplyDeleteThey are right but only if they feed on Freeland and not on innocent farmer's land and livelihood.What they are doing is trespassing on other's land and the owner of the land ha every right to defend itself with any means he deems appropriate.The southwest,southsout and southeast need to know the distinction and not commit murder.I however believe they have every right to shoot on site if they trespass on their land.The farmers also have the right to send them back in a body bag should they attack them.I wonder what kind of police force we have that common cattle herders walk freely in nigeria with sofiscated weapon and not get stopped n arrested.This police officers are interested in only manning checkpoints to extort money from innocent citizens.Fulani cattle readers should only be found with sticks and maybe knives for mercy killing of cows that r about to die.If they are however found with weapons,the communities should attack them immediately and send them back in body bags.How can a guest come to my house with a gun when u are not a police officer or a soldier?
ReplyDeletecattle rearing is a business like any other and should be so treated. they should buy land keep their cattle in their business confines, pay taxes, etc. that is what a progressive society should do. This OIL AND WATER CALLED NIGERIA, WILL SOON MIX. this herdsmen agenda is the harbinger. When oil and water mixes...........the rest will History, time is running out.
ReplyDeleteNIGERIA WELCOME TO CHANGE. This is the change you voted for. I expected this. You people failed to answer the most important question. WHO GAVE THESE HERD MEN GUNS. I call on all igbos everywhere not to run from their homes but to acquire guns and attack any fulani herdsmen they see anywhere in the East. They should have learnt a lesson on the result of running away. They ran away from the north during election and gave PMB easy victory. The constitution support self defence. The igbos must learn how to fight and defend themselves. ANYWHERE YOU RUN TO THEY WILL COME THERE AND KILL YOU. That is the nature of the Fulani Herd men.
ReplyDeleteYou are free to talk any rubbish against the herdsmen, but that does not remove their constitutional right to freedom of movement. you can go ahead and kill or burn whoever you want. only, I want to remind you that there are more Igbos in the North than herdsmen or even other Hausa/Fulani in the south east. At the end we will see who will loose more.
ReplyDeletemy own worry is that, fulanis are supposed to be holding sticks to direct and beat stubborn cows, why holding guns, are they shooting their cows, infact, this country needs deliverance, from niger delta militant, to boko haram, now fulani herdmens, only God knows the next group to rise up again
ReplyDelete