If Everybody Sanction Herdsmen,We Will Not Have A Country - Northern Senator

The NSF,Northern Senators Forum on
Wednesday warned governors and
groups that made anti-fulani comments over the recent terror being unleashed on innocent people by fulani herdsmen.
The Chairman of the Forum, Senator
Abdullahi Adamu, said this warning became
necessary in the light of several attacks on
several communities by gunmen suspected
to be Fulani herdsmen.
According to him, Nigerians should be
careful in order not to make the mistake of
assuming that everyone who rears cattle is
Fulani.
Adamu said, “A governor is a community
leader. The only difference is that he has a

label called governor. If you don’t mind, in
recent times it started with the South-West
when elder statesman Olu Falae had a very
nasty experience.
“It was attributed at the time to Fulani
herdsmen. And at the end those people
were apprehended, they were not Fulani.

This thing has been going on in virtually all
over the country today.
“If we now say that everybody should rise
and say herdsmen should leave, we will not
have a country.”
The chairman explained that leaders at all
levels must be careful when making
statements on the issue.
He added, “If you are fair to the Senate of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you will
appreciate and disseminate the fact that
we have tried to kill the idea that every
herdsman is a Fulani man.
“As I talk to you, I have a farm, I rear
cows. I am not Fulani by birth. And if you
go through some northern states, you will
see a lot of them.
“In fact, if you go to the South-East, you
will see young men who have been
emulating the Fulani in their various
communities and they are involved in
cattle rearing.”
He recalled that during his recent trip to
the South-West to condole with the people
of Osun State over the demise of the late
Ooni of Ife, he saw Yoruba people rearing
cows.
The chairman observed that the same
scenario played out in the North-East,
where there were several ethnic
nationalities who were not Fulani but were
involved in the cow business.
He noted that it was important to enlighten
Nigerians to avoid a situation where an
ethnic group would be labelled and unjustly
stigmatised.
Earlier, Adamu had read a communiqué of
a meeting held by members on Tuesday
night.
The communiqué partly read, “We note and
appreciate the steps that the Federal
Government has taken so far to contain
the problems of herdsmen/farmers’
clashes and call on community leaders to
be careful when making statements on
these ugly incidences.”
They also resolved to continue to support
President Muhammadu Buhari in his quest
to bring about even development to all
sections of the country.
Members also agreed to work assiduously
to enact laws and amend existing ones
when and where necessary in order to
promote the interest of northern Nigeria in
particular and Nigeria in general.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, on
Wednesday gave an insight into why
herdsmen and their cattle flood Agatu in
Benue State and parts of Enugu State,
resulting in frequent conflicts between
herdsmen and farmers.
Ogbeh said land in the Agatu-Enugu axis
produced very nutritious grasses, making
the area attractive to grazers and cows.
Suspected Fulani herdsmen had attacked
villages in Agatu and Enugu in the past
weeks, killing villagers and razing their
homes.
In Agatu, up to 500 lives were reportedly
lost in night raids by AK-47-wielding
herdsmen.