Banditry: Northern Elders warn against declaring all Fulanis terrorists

 

Northern Elders under the umbrella of the Northern Elders Forum, have warned against any move targeted at designating all Fulani persons as terrorists.

 

A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided by Justice Taiwo had declared the bandits terrorising parts of the North as terrorists, saying their criminal activities were acts of terrorism.

 

Reacting to the development, in a statement issued on Monday by the Director Publicity and Advocacy of the forum, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the group expressed concern that declaring bandits as terrorists may affect innocent Fulani people.

 

The group said only the criminal elements among the Fulani herdsmen should be made to face the wrath of the law.

 

The statement reads in part, “The Forum noted a judicial decision to label bandits and kidnappers as terrorists and recommends greater clarity in terms of the targets of this development. In any event, the Forum cautions against profiling and targeting all Fulani as terrorists.

 

“Millions of law-abiding Fulani’s exist who should be encouraged to stay on the side of the law, while those who have chosen to continue on the path of criminality should feel the full weight of the law”.