"Stay off our lands...." - Groups threaten Fulani Herdsmen

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have been unleashing terror on their host communities. The most recent was in a community in Enugu, where several lives were lost and properties destroyed.

Despite threats from some groups, herdsmen from different parts of Nigeria have said nobody has the right to restrict them from grazing their cattle in any part of the country.

Dismissing the ultimatums given by different groups for them to vacate the southern part of the country, the herdsmen said nobody can stop them from grazing anywhere as such restriction was unconstitutional.

In separate interviews with The Punch, the herdsmen under the auspices of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MCBAN) said the constitution guaranteed their movement into any part of the country.

Speaking on the issue, Nuru Abdullahi, the chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Plateau state 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.”

On his part, Ardo Ahmadu Suleiman, the chairman of MCBAN north-west zone, said the threats were uncalled for, while warning against criminalising all Fulani herdsmen over the attacks.

Meanwhile, foremost Yoruba farmers’ pressure group and ethnic militia, Agbekoya Farmers Association of Nigeria in the south-west, 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, have said they are ready to defend their territories should herdsmen attack their communities again.

The federal government was given a 14-day ultimatum by the Agbekoya to stop the incessant attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on farmers in Yorubaland. Olatunji Bandele, the group’s national publicity secretary said if the government failed to act within the stipulated time, they would retaliate any attack on their communities. According to him, 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.” He added that they are taking other security measures which they keeping to themselves.

Uchenna Madu, the leader of MASSOB, described the Fulani herdsmen as cowards, saying they ran away after the recent attacks. He said it was time to take action to end killings by herdsmen. Also speaking, Emma Powerful, the publicity secretary of IPOB alleged that Boko Haram had been disguising as herdsmen to attack parts of the country.

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.”

Speaking in a telephone interview, the national coordinator of the Yoruba group, Oodua Peoples Congress, Gani Adams said the attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the region had gone out of hand and they would not sit by and pretend as if all was well.

Abdullahi Abubakar, the chairman of MCBAN in Bauchi state, said the association was planning to hold an emergency executive meeting on Monday or Tuesday to discuss the issues affecting herdsmen. Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Nigerian Students have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the problem.