The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has urged Fulani herdsmen to return to the northern region if their security can not be guaranteed in the southern part of the country.
NEF Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
Baba-Ahmed said the relocation advice became necessary following alleged attack on Fulani herders, families and communities in some states of the south.
Baba-Ahmed said there are millions of Fulani living lawfully, wondering why there is a negative perception about the race in some quarters.
“Everyone in Nigeria knows that in the last few days, Fulani people are being harassed, threatened and attacked, initially in the western part of the country and now the eastern part,” he said.
“Some individuals and communities have taken law into their hand that they don’t want to see the Fulani in anywhere in Nigeria, Nigerians living lawfully, pursuing a living like every other Nigerians but sadly demonized and criminalized and everybody is saying we don’t want to see Fulani, Fulani must go.
“We confirmed that there are millions of Fulani living lawfully, legally, they are not bandits, they are not kidnappers, they are not breaking any law, so there is no reason why anybody should demonize them.
“We observed that innocent people are being attacked just for being Fulani, that’s unacceptable, we also established that a lot of them in Oyo, Ondo and in some part of the east in the last two days have been threatened and attacked, a lot of cattle have been killed, so we advised the Fulani to seek protection and leave.”
