The criminal activities of some Fulani herdsmen over time in the South-West which culminated in the sad and regrettable kidnap and torture of elder statesman, frontline politician and a leader of the Yoruba nation, Chief Olu Falae made the Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere to issue a strongly worded warning to the Fulani herdsmen to behave or face the people’s retribution if the security agencies would not bring them to order.
Expectedly and as it has always been the stock in trade of the Arewa Consultative Forum, a counter warning was issued to Afenifere, upbraiding the foremost Yoruba group for the communiqué it issued shortly after Pa Olu Falae regained his freedom from the hands of the suspected Fulani herdsmen who kidnapped him wherein the Yoruba group stated that “If the federal government fails to stop Fulani herdsmen from attacking Yoruba people, it may result in a situation where the South-West people will have to defend themselves.”
The ACF has picked on this statement, and in order to justify its desperate attempt at defending and covering up criminal elements of the Fulani descent, twisted the communiqué from Afenifere and distorted its message. For the avoidance of doubt and from the quote above, Afenifere was very clear as to whom their warnings were directed at. The communiqué issued warned of a situation where if the federal government fails to stop Fulani herdsmen from attacking Yoruba people, it may result in the people defending themselves.
An honest analysis of this statement simply implies that Afenifere never and I do not think that such a highly respectable group will ever condescend so low as to criminalise a whole region, tribe or race as the ACF would want us to believe. Those affected by Afenifere’s admonition are clearly stated: the Fulani HERDSMEN who ATTACK Yoruba people. This is different from saying it is all Fulani herdsmen not to talk of it referring to all Fulani.
This antic of the ACF is age-long. It is the same antic they use to try to cow other regions into doing their biddings and also a way of always having their way in all matters concerning the nation. Rather than face the more urgent and criminal issue of the wanton attacks perpetrated by their kinsmen, they prefer to pander to the gallery. They have always behaved like a heady headmaster who goes about dishing out instructions to his pupils who must obey without hesitation. That has come to stop!
It is this same antic they have used to silence the leaders of North-Central where the reprehensible criminal activities of these Fulani herdsmen have since assumed a brazen proportion. One wonders why, in spite of the incessant killings, maiming and raping of harmless and innocent people including women and children in droves, leaders of these region have found it convenient to just look on as if the lives of the victims do not matter. The Yoruba, learning from history, have to continue to speak up now or the region is turned into a theatre of war. No one region or tribe can or should intimidate the other!
It is this same antic that has been used to also cow our security agencies which appear powerless while the killings take place in the north central on a regular basis. If not, one wonders why a Fulani herdsman would seem to be allowed to move about freely with dangerous weapons including machetes, swords and even AK 47s without being challenged by any security personnel? Are there two different laws guiding the handling of weapons and firearms in Nigeria, one for the Fulani herdsmen and the other for the rest of us? What would happen if a man dressed in Igbo or Yoruba attire moves about with an AK 47 rifle in Lagos, Enugu or Kano? Would such a man not be promptly arrested and charged for illegal possession of firearm or the endangerment of public safety?
According to recent reports, residents of Enugu, South-East Nigeria, have also raised the alarm about the destructive activities of these herdsmen. Instead of the ACF to call their herdsmen to order and urge them to respect the rights of their hosts, they are busy trying to sound tough for vain purposes.
It would be a needless mistake if anyone thinks what the Afenifere or this essay sets out to achieve is to demonize any particular race, region or tribe. Far from it! Those in focus are Fulani herdsmen who attack people with reckless abandon. It is good to make this distinction because among the Fulani are successful lawyers, doctors, engineers etc who have made their marks in their different professions. Therefore it is even more criminal to categorise all Fulani as herdsmen as ACF has attempted to do while attempting to denigrate Afenifere’s communiqué.
What we ask for is mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexistence among all peoples of our great country. A situation where a group of people raid people’s farms and destroy their crops without let or hindrance leaving behind trails of blood and sorrow is no longer acceptable.
While we call on the security agencies to be brave enough to perform their duties without fear or favour, let it be clearly stated that the usual antics of the ACF to cow other regions the way they have succeeded in emasculating leaders of North-Central has failed, and the warning of Afenifere should be heeded to forthwith as to do otherwise could degenerate into an unwanted state of mass retribution for the criminal Fulani herdsmen.
Jude Ndukwe jrndukwe@yahoo.co.uk Twitter: @stjudendukwe
Comments