The Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamalli, has said the Fulani community in Nigeria are known as peace loving, not criminals.
Speaking on Saturday at a cultural event organised by the Fulani Development and Cultural Organisation (FUDECO), Bamali said real Fulanis do not wield AK47s to terrorise people.
According to him, a Fulani man is expected to carry a stick and cutlass to fend for his livestock.
Bamalli called on the Fulani to remain proud of their culture and values.
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He said: “I am very, very proud to be a Fulani man. All my ancestors, left and right, were Fulanis. So there is no how I will not be proud of my heritage, my culture, and everything.
“This is an avenue for us to know who we are, what we stand for, and let everybody in Nigeria and beyond understand who are the true Fulanis and that is the essence of this awareness forum where people from different places… some from Abuja, Lagos, even from Cameroon and Mali, gather.
“So it is very significant to us so that at least all these nonsense going on about banditry and other things would stop.
“Yes, the bad eggs which we have in every tribe in this country will stop that rascality. That is our prayer. Fulani should continue to be proud people as always, they should always maintain their values, those core values of a Fulani man.
“They should maintain it and sustain it. As a Fulani man, you are not expected to carry an AK47. It is not part of the core values of the culture of a Fulani man. But a Fulani man is expected to carry his stick and cutlass to cut grass for his animals.
“This is all that you find in a Fulani man, but definitely not AK47 or not a Fulani man to go and kill people and maim them. This is all we are saying. You know Fulanis are very enlightened people, very well educated. The best educated people in this country, I believe, are the Fulanis; I am not being biased.”