• Knock Stakeholders Over Long Silence On Fulani Atrocities
• Commend Sheik Gumi For Taking Step To End Criminality By Some Fulani Herdsmen
Northern elders, under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Elders for Peace and Development (CNEPD), have restated their unflinching support for President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress- (APC) led Federal Government. They also appealed to Nigerians to be patient and believe in the Buhari government, as the president is taking steps to address current challenges, especially insecurity confronting Nigeria.
This came as they berated stakeholders in the region over what they described as their long silence in the face of unbearable criminal acts by herdsmen across the country, thereby denting the region’s image.
The elders, however, commended renowned Islamic Scholar and preacher, Sheik Abubakar Gumi for taking bold steps, aimed at ending the menace through consultation with the perpetrators.
In a statement signed yesterday in Abuja by the group’s National Coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni, the elders also backed clamour by the Igbos to be included in the country’s security management. They asked their kinsmen to support the move, as according to them, such would give the South East a sense of belonging, thus deflating the tension arising from the activities of some elements in the region.
They particularly appealed to President Buhari to consider the issue as that of national importance by immediately reviewing recent appointments of service chiefs to right the perceived wrong.
The statement read in part: “We are deeply concerned about the wanton and brazen criminal activities of some of our Fulani kinsmen and the shameful loud conspiracy of silence by some of our notable Northern elders and stakeholders that should have risen up to speak against the evil acts.
“These despicable acts by some of our kinsmen masquerading as herdsmen is highly condemnable and we must begin to speak out against them now, if we must be taken seriously in Nigeria. The activities of some of these criminal herders started like a joke and because we kept quiet, which showed that we were rather supporting them, they heightened their actions, which have regrettably got us in this present situation.”
The elders noted with regret that in every part of the country now, Fulanis have been tagged as the people behind kidnappings, armed robbery, and other violent crimes.
They said: “While we must acknowledge that there may be some local collaborators, Fulanis remain the masterminds and arrowheads in most criminal activities going on across the country today. This is highly unacceptable and must be stopped now. The unhealthy drum of war that is currently raging in Nigeria, today, is mainly caused by the insecurity perpetrated by actions of these our brothers and the continued silence of our elite. Threat to peace anywhere is threat to peace everywhere, and this is why we must speak out now…”
