Fulani Herdsmen are Criminals, not Terrorists like IPOB – FG

Fri, Sep 22, 2017 | By publisher


Politics

 

THE federal government of Nigeria has said that the rampaging Fulani herdsmen who have killed lives and raped women as well as destroyed farmers’ farmlands in some states in the country are not terrorists but simply criminals.

The federal government, however, said that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, a non-violence group of agitators for self-determination who are asking for a referendum in the South East Nigeria, is a terrorists organisation because it has carved out a territory within Nigeria for its members. IPOB, which has made provocative statements, denies the allegation.

Garba Shehu, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, gave the statement while playing guest to Channels TV programme on Thursday.

The presidency made the comment following mounting pressure from various quarters of the country for it to equally categorize Fulani herdsmen as terrorist just like the federal government has done to IPOB.

The Nigerian army had tagged IPOB a terrorist organisation following a clash between IPOB and the military in Umuahia, Abia state, over a week ago. During the clash, IPOB members used broken bottles on the military personnel as well as stones. But the military shot and killed more than 18 of the group’s members, an allegation the Nigerian army denied, challenging those making the claims to provide proof.

The South-East governors had equally proscribed the activities of IPOB in the region after the army’s pronouncement on IPOB.

Also, a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ruled that IPOB is a terrorist organisation. Also, the federal government had and still insists that IPOB is a terrorist organisation.

But critics are opining that the Fulani herdsmen should equally be declared a terrorist organisation following what they termed their dangerous activities which sometimes result to loss of lives, property, farm lands and even rape of women.

The federal government admitted that some Fulani herdsmen could be criminals who had infiltrated the herdsmen group but maintained that despite that, their activities are not at par with those of a terrorist organisation like IPOB which it said operates like the world known terrorist group, Boko Haram.

According to Shehu, “There is a difference between a criminal activity and a terrorist activity. Yes, some Fulani herdsmen are a criminal gang and they are being dealt with according to the law. But IPOB, like Boko Haram, has a territory they have carved out to themselves …as a sovereign state of its own…. They have shown the willingness to invade other neighbouring states. They have raised concerns in neighbouring Kogi and Benue states. They have said they are interested in taking over Bayelsa and Rivers. That is exactly what Boko Haram has done. This is not acceptable to the law of the country.”
– Sept 22, 2017 @ 08:19 GMT /

 

 

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