The close-to-a-decade banditry activities in Niger State has in recent time disrupted the inter-tribal and ethnic harmony between the Fulani herders and farmers in the state.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that before banditry became rife in the state, farmers and Fulani herders related as one family, attending each other’s ceremonies.
However, findings by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that recent violent confrontation between farmers—perceived to be victims of banditry, and Fulani – who have been profiled as bandits, is taking its toll even on economic activities in the state.
Some Fulani who spoke with our correspondent said even their women who go to urban centres to hawk fresh milk no longer have peace of mind doing so due to fear arising from tribal colouration and ethnic profiling.
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The recent violent confrontation between the Gbagyi vigilantes and Fulani herders at Beji Market in which lives were lost was another pointer that the age-long harmonious coexistence between farmers and Fulani herders has been disrupted by banditry.
This has, however, signalled to authorities the need to take decisive decisions to disabuse the minds of citizens from giving the insecurity in the state an ethnic and tribal colouration.
An expert in security and peace studies, Dr Hamza Kamar, said government must undertake massive campaign and sensitisation against tribal profiling of any group due to banditry.
“There are many ways of resolving conflicts but the best way is Alternative Dispute Resolution. But government should first engage in campaign to disabuse the minds of people from giving any conflict, especially the banditry, tribal colouration. The Fulani community and Gbagyi communities have to be brought to together so that they can address the root cause of the issue.
“The problem is that we don’t normally do the right thing. We have not been addressing the root causes of all these issues until when they get escalated. Government should begin massive campaign to disabuse the minds of people from giving conflicts ethnic colouration.”
Experts argued that while Fulani are believed to be foot soldiers who press triggers, arms’ suppliers and informants are from various tribes and communities.
Daily Trust on Sunday had earlier reported that dozens of Fulani residents in banditry-infested local government areas of Munya, Shiroro, Paikoro, Gurara, Rafi, Mashegu, Magama, Bosso and Mariga in Niger State, have vacated their settlements following incessant onslaught by terrorists on their settlements.
Some of them who live as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in many parts of the state said they had lost virtually all their means of livelihood, including their cattle and other animals.
The Fulani victims however lamented that they don’t get humanitarian supports from authorities as other people do, saying that the society generally believe that they were the cause of the problem.
Though authorities in the state have said that they were on top of the situation, experts said much needs to be done.
Following the two incidences of violent confrontations between the Fulani herders and Gbagyi Farmers, the Beji weekly market was forced to shut for two weeks to allow normalcy return. But while normalcy returns, government is tasked to begin campaign against tribal colouration and as well desist from pronouncements that portrays any tribe as trouble maker.
The Beji crisis was said to have been due to the incessant banditry activities in the area. The disturbing developments had caused unrest, especially among the Fulanis.
Farouk Alhaji Sadiq, one of the victims of the first violent confrontation between Fulani and vigilantes at the Beji Market, said government needs to take a holistic step towards addressing the tribal profiling of Fulani herders.
“We don’t know what caused the fight. The vigilantes were all over town, arresting Fulani children without telling us the offence they committed. After arresting them, they went away with the children. Later, they came back, threatening to shoot the rest of them. So, we approached them and asked the children to leave the place so that it doesn’t degenerate into a problem.
“Later, the vigilantes also left. So, we were in a shop (in the market) belonging to our elder brother when suddenly we saw people running and while we were asking to know what was happening, we saw the vigilantes shooting. They came towards us and shot at us. They shot one of our boys dead and the second one was beaten to death with cutlasses and sticks.
“The trouble started when two of our boys were forced to have their hair cut. I was a witness to that. Even when we asked our children to go, they still followed them. It was a conspiracy against us because some of them were not vigilantes. I want to call on government to take proactive measures. This land belongs to all of us. We have lived here for years.
“There was a time, at an area called Belbela, they came and started beating our people, including elderly people, without evidence that they were bandits. Government shouldn’t be silent over these things. Authorities should take proactive and result-oriented measures. Many of us are innocent of these things we are being accused of,” he said.
He said Fulani people were ready to be recruited as vigilantes as planned by the state government to assist in addressing banditry in the state, adding that “There shouldn’t be tribal sentiment in the fight against insecurity. We are suffering from tribal profiling and colouration. It’s becoming unbearable.”
Another victim, Umar Mohammed, who spoke from his hospital bed, said “None of us had a gun. Why should we be shot? We cannot actually tell what was the cause of these confrontations.”
He added that “We want our elders and government to see to the ends of this problem. We didn’t fight anybody. We are innocent. If we had committed any offence, we should be told instead of shooting us. Nobody talked to us or told us anything. We have never had any misunderstanding with farmers.”
Umar Rabe, Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, while discouraging revenge or reprisal attacks, said an interactive engagement would be facilitated by the government to address the concerns of all parties involved with the aim of engendering peace between Fulani and Gbagyi farmers.
“Issue of banditry is an issue that is tormenting everybody’s life today. Both the Fulani and Gbagyi farmers are all victims of circumstances of the banditry.
“So, for that, what we can do is to bring them together to know that we are partners in progress. I am soliciting for all to be calm. We are on top of the situation,” he said.
Abdullahi Mu’azu, the Zonal Vice Chairman, Zone B, Miyyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, said “We have not been happy with what is happening between the Fulani and vigilantes, especially fighting in the market. It’s something with a lot of implications.”
He added that “Even when the confrontation happened in the market, we didn’t know what happened. We just started hearing gunshots. Until now, we don’t know the cause of the confrontation. We are begging both sides to allow peace reign.”
The Commissioner for Homeland security, Major Gen Abdullahi Muhammad, also confirmed that the government was on top of the situation.
He said the stakeholders would be engaged to ensure that the problem was addressed.
In 2021, Daily Trust had reported how hundreds of cattle belonging to Fulani herders were rustled by bandits across the state. Many of them were also kidnapped and killed with millions of naira paid as ransom to secure the release of their loved ones just as farmers do.
The report punctured the impression that Fulani were the only attackers and killers of innocent farmers.
