The chairman of the Southwest chapter of Miyyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and Seriki Fulani Hausawa in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Alhaji Muhammed Kabir Labaran, on Tuesday explained why Nigerians usually indict the Fulani people for kidnapping and other crimes in the Southwest region of the country.
He said the security challenges facing the region also affect the Fulani people residing in the region.
Labaran spoke with journalists at the Southwest security summit, which had in attendance, the governors and leaders in the region, held at the Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo state.
He said his people are affected the way other Nigerians are affected.
“The security summit is a very good development at this time for the sake of peace, harmony and security challenges facing the region and the country entirely.
“It is a way of presenting a blue print to bring lasting solution to the challenges facing the country at the moment. We know the Southwest states are working hard to bring lasting solution to the security challenges facing the region and we are happy for that.
“I am extremely happy for the statements of the governors that the challenges have nothing to do with ethnicity but global challenges.
The summit is to strategise against group of people trying to disrupt the peace of the country. Like we use to hear in the media, people pinpoint accusing fingers at the Fulani herdsmen for the security challenges.
“We should be the victims because our people are residing and doing their legitimate businesses in wild forest. That is the most conducive atmosphere for them to do their businesses.
“It is easy to indict them because when perpetrators of the crime run to the wild areas, and security agencies search the wild areas, they will definitely find the innocent Fulani people there.
“As a result of that, it is easy to indict them. But it is time for us to vomit what we have inside us and say the truth. We will tell people how we are affected as well.
“We are affected the way other Nigerians are affected. In fact, we are more affected than other Nigerians. They kidnap our people as well; they rape them, chase and even kill them including our children.
“I am happy to be part of this because it will bring out more facts about the issues of insecurity, so that we can work in harmony.”
