Stop labelling Fulani as criminals – Miyetti Allah Kautal appeals to security agencies

Story from Ahmed SAKA, Bauchi

The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bauchi chapter has appealed to security agencies, media organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to stop labelling Fulani tribe as criminals.

Chairman of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Hussaini Muhammad stated this Thursday when he addressed a press conference in his office in Bauchi.

He said labelling Fulani tribe as criminals is unprofessional, unconstitutional because it violates the fundamental human rights of the Fulani tribe and the constitution prohibits discrimination of any form and all suspects are innocent until proven guilty by the competent court of law.

He said some group of Nigerians out of envy and mischief want to paint Fulani tribe black. That is why whenever a crime occurs they will label the suspects as Fulani, but if the suspects are not from Northern part of the country they will call them by their names, not their tribes.

Hussaini warned that henceforth, they will not tolerate the phrase “Fulani Herdsmen Attack” by media organisations, saying that the use of the phrase is uncalled for, ethnocentric and against the entire Fulani race who are known for hard work, tolerance and development in all facets of life.

The Chairman said, the use of the phrase “Fulani Herdsmen Attack” is the highest form of injustice and ethnic discrimination being shown to the Fulani people who are citizens of Nigeria with full rights as protected under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ought not to be discriminated.

“The contribution to the well-being and growth of Nigeria by men of the Fulani ethnic group cannot be overemphasized.

“The Fulani herdsmen were the only ethnic group paying the “Jangali tax” used for the developmental growth of  Nigeria in the early years of independence.

“The cows gifted and those eaten as meat during festive seasons are all reared by Fulani ethnic group. Leaders of this country who are from the Fulani ethnic group have done so much to keep this country together for the benefit of all.

“The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bauchi State branch wonder why some media outlet despite their professionalism, could stoop so low to label an entire group as “attackers” and when persons from other ethnic groups commit more heinous offences, they are referred to as either unknown gunmen, bandits, ritualists, armed robbers, but not associated with their tribes.

“We observe there is no ethnic group in the entire globe whose men are all pious, as there must be a Judas in every twelve and where the said Judas is identified, he should be called by his actions and not his entire group as it’s been done to the Fulani ethnic group”, the statement reads.

The Chairman said, “History has not forgotten that notorious criminals who are arrested or even killed from other Nigerian ethnic groups were referred to by their individual names and not ethnic group.

“Recently, the Nigerian media reported the criminalities of Terwase Akwaza (a.k.a Gana) being a Tiv man from Benue state; kidnapper kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike (a.k.a Evans) an Igbo man from Anambra state; the deadly “Ombatse” cult group from Egon tribe in Nasarawa state who murdered the men of Nigerian Police Force and Officers of the directorate of State Security Services and Abubakar Shekau of Boko Haram who is a Kanuri man from Borno state, but none was extended to their ethnic groups,”

He alleged that “the manner in which the phrase ‘Fulani Herdsmen Attack’ is used against the Fulani ethnic group makes us feel it is because the president is a Fulani man and his haters who cannot confront him, choose to go against his entire ethnic group. This is not fair to the peace-loving Fulani people in Nigeria”.