The decision by the 19 governors of Northern states under the umbrella of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF to take sides with Fulani herdsmen has touched on raw nerves in other parts of the country.
The NSGF had after its meeting in Kaduna on Friday taken exception to the labeling of Fulanis as criminals following repeated destruction of farmlands, houses and killings by herdsmen in their host communities in the North Central, South South, South West and South East regions of Nigeria.
The Northern governors had said that it was an insult to label Fulanis criminals for criminal activities committed by herdsmen.
Reacting to the position of the NSGF, Afenifere, a pan Yoruba socio-cultural organization told the 19 Northern states governors to bury their heads in shame for tacitly supporting the criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen.
Here is a statement issued by Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin on Saturday.
“It (the northern governors’ position) is a sign of unfeeling, uncaring for any group today to come out and say that those who have been causing problems and killing people in the Middle Belt and the South are not Fulani herdsmen. They have killed in Agatu land, Enugu; a traditional ruler was killed in Delta State; they killed Chief Olu Falae’s guard and also kidnapped Chief Falae himself. For some people to gather and call themselves northern governors, and have no sympathy for lives than to be defending the Fulani herdsmen, shows clearly that it is a tragedy of monumental proportion to be in the same country with these elements. You also begin to wonder if the blood of human beings runs in their veins because anybody that has human blood running in his veins will not come and say that Fulani herdsmen are not responsible. What nonsense.
“I think the northern governors should bury their heads in shame. I do not think they are fit to be in the comity of civilized human beings. If the attackers are not Fulani herdsmen, where have they struck in the North-West? Why are their activities only in the Middle Belt and in the South? That is the question these northern governors should answer. When militants were blowing up pipelines in the South-South, were they not called Niger Delta militants? Do they want us to call them Yoruba herdsmen?”
In its reaction, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC described the position of the Northern governors as a tacit support for Fulani herdsmen terrorism.
“The statement by the northern governors is disappointing and a tacit support for criminality and the ongoing Fulani herdsmen terrorism.
“If they are interested in peace in Nigeria, they ought to be more concerned about the implication of the activities of the Fulani herdsmen rather than a perceived insult on the Fulani race.
“The IYC condemns the stand taken by the northern governors and calls on southern leaders to brace up for the challenges ahead.
“Furthermore, we wish to state that part of the reason Boko Haram grew to become a national problem was the tacit support given to them by northern political leaders and this Fulani herdsmen terrorism is taking the same pattern; hence it must be taken seriously,” said IYC spokesman Eric Omare in a chat with Vanguard.
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