The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fulani herdsmen

  • Kaduna: Police arrest three suspected killers of fulani herdsmen

    The Police in Kaduna State, on Monday said they have arrested three suspects that allegedly killed two Fulani herdsmen on Saturday.

    The Commissioner of Police, Agyole Abeh, told Journalists in Kaduna that the two Fulani herdsmen were grazing their livestock when they were killed on March 11 at Unguwan Luka in Jema’a Local Government Area.

    Abeh said the three suspects were arrested after a tip-off by Good Samaritans.

    The police commissioner, claimed that the suspects had made confessional statements and would  soon be charged to court.

    He declared that peace was gradually returning to southern Kaduna, and urged the general public  to go about their normal businesses.

    Abeh assured of the command’s readiness and commitment in providing secure environment to all citizens and solicited for more support from the public to enable police personnel discharge their duties more effectively.

    “I want to assure the people of the state of my resolve to flush out all forms of crime and criminality in the area,” he said.

  • Suspected Fulani herdsmen kill Benue monarch, nine others

    Suspected Fulani herdsmen kill Benue monarch, nine others

    Nine persons, including the kindred head of Ako Community in Mbalagh District, Tombo Buruku Local Government in Benue State, were yesterday killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    The suspected herdsmen launched a blistering attack on Mbalagh District, a settlement of over two million inhabitants.

    The herdsmen, according to a victim who is receiving treatment at a community hospital in Buruku, Terna Adekwagh, stormed the community with sophisticated weapons and opened fire on the harmless peasant community members.

    The attack took place at about 6am when everyone was still at home on Saturday.

    Adekwagh said the assailants shot and killed the kindred head and nine others, while many others sustained serious injuries.

    As at press time, many people were seen leaving the area in their numbers. Women were seen with children on their back, trekking long distances to escape the rampaging Fulani attacker.

  • Suspected Fulani herdsmen rob travellers in Delta

    SEVERAL transport vehicles travelling the East/West road, weekend, were robbed of their money and other valuable by suspected Fulani herdsmen, along Ohoror, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State.

    The herdsmen numbering over 20, according to sources were seen in army camouflage uniform with sophisticated firearms and in a commando style robbing their victims who may have mistaken them for soldiers.

    The Fulani herdsmen who were said to have barricaded the road for over one hour, unleashed mayhem on travelers and could not be chased out of the road by security agents considering the time they had spent on the road.

    It could be recalled that few weeks ago residents of Ohoror community had protested, calling on the state and federal government and other security agents to assist them in quitting them from their farm land and community, but all were to no avail.

    A passenger who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “I have never experienced this any day, this people are not scared of either the security agents or anybody as they were taking their time to rob us without fear that security will come after them.

    “The Chairman of the community, Mr. Power Oba, said: “I wasn’t around when they stormed. But I was informed on phone that they barricaded the road at about 3p.m and disposed passengers of the valuables.”

  • Military not arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians, says Govt

    Military not arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians, says Govt

    The Federal Government yesterday warned religious leaders against incendiary messages capable of causing religious war in the country.
    It also said allegations bordering on Islamisation of Nigeria and persecution of Christians were mere fallacies.
    It said conflicts between Muslims and Christians were often fuelled by political motivation, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism.
    It described as ridiculous the accusation by some leaders that the military was arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians.
    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed made the government’s position known at the North Central Town Hall meeting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, yesterday.
    The session was the eighth in the series of the Town Hall Meetings which was started in Lagos on April 25, 2016 by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
    Mohammed said the government was worried about comments from religious leaders.
    The Minister said: “Without equivocating, let me say that a lot has been achieved by this administration, despite the challenges that we have faced since assuming office. But whatever has been achieved in all spheres will pale into insignificance if there is no peace in the country.
    ” And there is no bigger threat to the peace and unity of our country today than religion-coated incendiary messages, which are being carelessly sent out there by some religious, political and opinion leaders.
    “In recent times, the media has been increasingly awash with incendiary statements that seem designed to pitch the adherents of the two prominent religions in the country, Christians and Muslims against one another.”
    He described as fallacies such insinuations that the government was either out to Islamise Nigeria or persecute Christians.
    He added: “Such fallacies like the Islamisation of Nigeria, the killing of Christians by Muslims, the labelling of Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world can only serve one purpose: trigger a religious war. Needless to say that no nation ever survived a religious war.
    “Those who are making these allegations know that they are not true, but they have found in religion another tool to demonise the government of the day, divert attention from the government’s anti-corruption stance and create undue tension in the polity.
    “The alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current Administration is totally false and should be perceived in its entirety as a campaign of calumny.
    “The secular nature of Nigeria’s Constitution makes the issue of religious dominance and impunity improbable.”
    Mohammed said the government believes that some comments by religious leaders had political connotations.
    He said: “It is also important to note that the underlying principle of religious conflict may not be purely religious, but more often than not coloured with political connotations as vividly depicted in the case of the terrorist group Boko Haram.
    “And more often than not, conflicts between Muslims and Christians are fuelled by political motivations, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism.”
    He said the government considers it ludicrous to claim that the nation’s military was arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians.
    He said: “Before I end my speech, let me appeal to the media to desist from providing a platform for exponents of incendiary statements, those who will latch on to religion and ethnicity to divide us, and those who have no qualms about leveraging their privileged positions to give Nigeria a bad name in the international community.
    “Their foreign collaborators, including a section of the international media, have even gone as far as accusing the Nigerian military, a symbol of the country’s unity, of arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians, as if the army is made up of officers and men from only one religion.
    “The Federal Government rejects this ludicrous and nonsensical accusation against the military and warns those behind it to desist forthwith.”

  • Fulani herdsmen worse than Boko Haram, says PFN

    Fulani herdsmen worse than Boko Haram, says PFN

    Fulani herdsmen have caused the nation more havoc than the Boko Haram terrorists, Lagos chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has declared.
    The body said Fulani herdsmen have killed more Nigerians and created worse security tensions than the terrorists.
    It called on President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest the nefarious activities of the herdsmen across the nation.
    Lagos PFN chairman, Bishop Sola Ore, stated these at a media conference by the body in Lagos last week.
    Ore, in a strong-worded speech, said: “There are obvious signs a group worse than Boko Haram is here with us in the name of Fulani herdsmen.
    “We are left with no alternative than to conclude that there is something in the offing that is not clear to many Nigerians.”
    Ore lamented that no herdsman has been arrested, let alone prosecuted for the atrocious killings in Southern Kaduna.
    “Who has been prosecuted for the killings? Who has been sent to jail? Is this government saying it does not know the masterminds of the dastardly acts?”
    The PFN helmsman also bemoaned the fate of Christians in the current administration, declaring that no one can Islamise the nation as insinuated in many quarters.
    “Nigerian Christians have suffered too much. We have been killed. We have been brutalised. We have been denied our basic rights.
    “Many of our churches in the north have had to close down due to insurgency but even before the security challenges, many northern states denied our right to land ownership when it comes to church building.
    “We believe Nigeria is a multi-religious state and people should be allowed to worship God the way they want. The continuous repression of a particular faith will not augur well for us as a nation,” Ore stated.
    He supported self-defence, saying it would be foolish for Christians to allow herdsmen kill them in any part of the nation.
    “If a thief comes to my house and wants to kill me, I would kill him before he gets to me.
    “There is a time to carry swords. I will kill you before you kill me and that does not stop me from being a Christian. In fact after that, I will be more Christian.”
    On the suspended governance code of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria, Ore said the PFN is not against probity and accountability.
    He, however, alleged some sections of the code were satanic, insisting they were targeted at independent Pentecostal churches, which he claimed were more visible in the nation.
    “We are against tenure for church leaders. Government does not have any right to put its nose into the running of affairs of churches.
    “While we are ready to abide by the codes and laws that are legitimate, we will like to state that the Pentecostal body in Lagos state will resist any attempt to frustrate the church,” the general overseer of Love Aglow Ministries, Festac, stressed.
    Ore explained that the Lagos PFN was already registering genuine members with a view to flushing out bad eggs.
    He disowned Pentecostal preachers that sell “objects to members, collecting money for miracles, exploiting members and taking advantage of their spiritual ignorance to dupe,” insisting “they are not part of us.”

  • Fulani herdsmen, others paraded for inciting S/Kaduna crisis

    Fulani herdsmen, others paraded for inciting S/Kaduna crisis

    17 suspects including Fulani herdsmen and others have been paraded by the Police for their alleged involvement in the crisis rocking some parts of Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State.

    The police explained that the suspects were arrested for inciting public disturbance, disturbance of public peace, causing mischief by fire, culpable homicide, theft and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

    The Force also noted that the act instigated by the suspects led to the death of so many people.

    The suspects paraded are; Nelson Paul, Bulus Jatau, Magaji Shaibu,  Danlami Yakubu, Idris Bello, Danjuma  Barde, Goma Adamu,  Samuel Joshua and Abudulkareem Abdul.

    Other suspects are; Haruna Iliyasu, Hassan Idris, Adamu Haruna, Adamu Umar. Sulieman Saleh, Abubakar Mohammadu and Muhammad Jori.

    Items recovered from them include; 29 assorted firearms and ammunition.

    Breifing Jiurnalists in Abuja yesterday, the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood said the success was recorded after the IGP constituted an Operation Harmony team.

    According to him: “Concerned by the recent unfortunate sectarian crisis in Kafanchan and neighboring communities in Kaduna state where so many innocent lives were lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed, as a result of this and the need to put a final stop to the crisis the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris constituted a Joint Tactical Operation Squad (Operation Harmony).

    The team comprised of  the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Intelligence Response Team, SIB, EOD, the IGP Monitoring Unit, Police K9 (Sniffer Dog Section), Police Air wing and Police Medical Team with Headquarters in Kafanchan.

    “The operation recorded remarkable achievements in tackling the crisis and preventing further disturbance of public peace across southern Kaduna.

    “17 suspects were arrested in the act and catches of fire arms and ammunition were recovered from them. They would be charged for homicide to ensure that it serves as active deterent to others”.

    Moshood added: “All the suspects paraded comprises of the Fulani’s and the natives. It was reported in certain session of the press that nobody has been arrested and investigated but it is not true.

    He also noted that aside the 17 paraded, others are presently undergoing investigation and they would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

    On the exact number of death recorded since the crisis commenced, he said investigation was ongoing to collate the exact number of casualty.

    On the source of firearms used for the operation, he said: “the dealer that supplied the firearms was also arrested.

    Also speaking, the dealer of firearms, Nelson Paul said: “I am a native of Kaninkon and most of the riffles displayed were sold to other suspects here by me. I sell between N30, 000 to N40, 000.

    “I was arrested before now but I have repented. Policemen came to my house and upon investigation; I took them round to recover the arms from those I sold them to.

    “I am not the source or manufacturer of the arms ammunition, I got them from Jos,” he explained.

  • Land not ceded to Fulani herdsmen, says Ortom

    Land not ceded to Fulani herdsmen, says Ortom

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said no land in his state was ceded to Fulani herdsmen. He accused his political detractors of spreading the allegation.
    He was reacting to allegations against his administration following the peace agreement between the Agatu and Fulani herdsmen.
    The governor addressed State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
    He said: “It is not the people who are saying this. There was a peace pact brokered by the Agatu people and the Fulani herdsmen. I and Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, were there to moderate and allow them.
    “And insinuations that part of the land was ceded to Fulani is false. It is being instigated by our political opponents who have nothing to sell to the people. They want to use that to instigate the people against our government, but they cannot because we are sincere, God-fearing and truthful.
    “We have ensured peace in our land. As I talk now, in my local government, herdsmen move freely. But they are being monitored and they are relating with the farmers very well. In 2013, my house and rice farm was burnt in a day and more than 50 of my kinsmen were killed.
    “But since I came in as a governor, I have brokered peace and everything is moving well. The Agatu people said they are tired of the crisis and want to live a normal life. They also wanted Fulani herdsmen born and bred in Agatu land to come back. But the foreign herdsmen, who are violent and have been causing destruction, should not come near their territory.
    “This was an understanding between two groups. It is not that any land was ceded to any Fulani herdsman and all that. But the truth of the matter is that we must learn to be peaceful. It is only when we have peace that we can begin to improve our states, local governments and the country,” Ortom said.
    On the purpose of his visit to the Villa, Ortom said he came to pay solidarity visit to the Acting President and to wish Mr. President, who is on vacation, good health and safe return to Nigeria.
    “And we pray that God will continue to help this administration that came at a time that Nigeria is passing through recession occasioned by bad leadership by past administration.”

  • No land was ceded to Fulani herdsmen – Ortom

    No land was ceded to Fulani herdsmen – Ortom

    The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Monday night said no land was seeded to the Fulani herdsmen in the state.

    He was reacting to allegations levelled against his administration following the signing of a peace agreement between the Agatu people in his state and the Fulani herdsmen.

    Ortom said his political detractors were behind the allegation.

    The governor spoke with State House correspondents after close door meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “It is not the people who are saying this. The people who are saying this are outside Agatu people. This was a peace pact that was brokered by the Agatu people and the Fulani herdsmen. Myself and Governor of Nassarawa State were there to moderate and allow them.

    “And the insinuation that part of the land was conceded to Fulani is false. It is being instigated by our political opponents who have nothing to tell the people. They want to use that to instigate the people against our government. But they cannot succeed because we are sincere, God-fearing and truthful.

    “We have ensured there is peace in our land. As I talk to you, in my own local government, the herdsmen are moving freely. But they are being monitored and they are relating with the farmers very well. In 2013, my house was raised down in one day alone and more than 50 of my kinsmen were killed and my rice farm was burnt.”

     

  • Fulani herdsmen: Protesting women shutdown East/West highway

    There was chaos on the Delta/Bayelsa states axis of the East/West highway on Wednesday morning as protesting aged women shutdown the busy highway at Ohorho (Bomadi Junction).
    They were protesting the menace of Fulani herdsmen, whose activities they said have led to several deaths and made life unbearable for them.
    The protest led to a massive gridlock stretching several miles on either sides of the highway.
    The siege on the road persisted at past midday time of this report.
    Hundreds of security operatives deployed to the area could not dislodge the determined women.
  • 6,000 displaced in Gbagys-herdsmen clash in Niger

    6,000 displaced in Gbagys-herdsmen clash in Niger

    At least 6,000 people were displaced in the communal clash between the Gbagys and Fulani herdsmen in Rafin Baruna, in Bosso local government area of Niger State.

    Four people were reportedly killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed on January 10.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, Director-General of the state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) told newsmen on Friday that the clash had displaced over 6,000 people already.

    Inga said the displaced persons were seeking shelter in Nomadic School in Sabon Gada while others escaped to the neighbouring communities for safety.

    “On Tuesday, four persons were killed, during the Thursday night attack, two people were also killed. Others are receiving treatment in the camp.

    “Relief materials have been given to the IDPs to assist them to cushion the effect of the crisis.

    “It is unfortunate that people are no longer patient with one another. As you can see, the communities are empty, people have left their homes out of fear,” he said.

    He said that security agencies were in the affected communities to ensure the safety of lives and property.

    Inga called on the traditional rulers and community leaders in the state to sensitise the people on the importance of peaceful coexistence.

    NAN reports that Maj.-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigeria Army, Kaduna, visited the affected communities to access the level of the clash.

    The Commissioner of Police in Niger, Alhaji Muazu Zubairu, also visited the communities to ensure normalcy in the areas.

    Malam Danlami Aliyu, a victim of the clash, told newsmen that “ all the farmer produce and houses were burnt down.

    “As you, all can see, all our yams, maize, millet and other property worth millions of naira have been burnt down.

    “All the women and children have run away only some few men are left in the left community.

    “We thank the security men for coming to our rescue and we called on the government to assist us because we have lost food and shelter to the clash,” he said.