Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has noted that the best way to improve the quality of lives of Fulani was by banning their migration to the central and southern parts of Nigeria.
Ganduje made this submission while answering questions on the suspension of RUGA programme by the federal government, shortly after attending the wedding ceremony of the son of Senator Kabiru Gaya, Ibrahim Khalil in Sokoto on Saturday.
“No better way to improve their lives if you don’t prevent their migration from the north to the central and southern parts of Nigeria.
“That movement should be banned, otherwise Fulani would continue to suffer and the security problem in the country would continue,” he maintained.
Ganduje explained that RUGA was for individual states who could cater for Fulani and where herdsmanship should be a socio-economic not socio-cultural issue.
“We cannot ask a state to implement RUGA where the indigenes are not Fulani. It is for states who can cater for the Fulani and improve their herdsmanship,” he said.
According to him, there was no better way to resettle Fulani than RUGA.
“That is why we are developing grazing area or RUGA in Kano State so that Fulani can be in one place and enjoy all the social services like other people of the state. So that the type of herdsmanship they are doing will be improved. So that they can produce more cows, more milk and more economic prosperity to themselves,” he said.
Governor Ganduje noted with dismay the way Fulani were being treated in the country, just as he expressed displeasure with some of the Fulani who graduated into banditry because they were not educated.