Insecurity: Council of Fulani ready to strengthen partnership with DAWN Commission

…condemns banditry, others, charges security agencies to fish out criminal elements, conspirators

…places total ban on night grazing, underage grazing, herders carrying firearms in S/West

The Council of Fulani Chiefs in Southwest has condemned in strong term any form of bandtry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflict, among others, expressing its readiness to strengthen the partnership between it and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, in ensuring safety and security in the region.

Chairman of the Council, Alhaji (Dr.) Mohammed Abubakar Bambado 11, who is also the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, gave this stand on Sunday at a well-attended press conference, which took place at his palace in Surulere, Lagos, reaffirming the body’s commitment towards sustaining the established peaceful coexistence with the Yoruba community, dating back to over 200 years.

Bambado, while speaking at the event, attended by Fulani leaders, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), including Alhaji Muhammed Kabir, Alhaji Ahmed Sulaiman, Alhaji Bello Yakubu, Hajia Aminat Idris, among others from across the Southwest region, specifically charged the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to be deeply committed to fishing out the criminal elements and conspirators within the host communities, even as he also charged media houses to report responsibly in order to mitigate ethnic profiling.

“The Council of Fulani Chiefs in Southwest, Nigeria, under the leadership of HRH, Alh. Muhammed Bambado 11, Sarkin Fulani of Lagos and Chairman of the Council, categorically affirms their commitment towards sustaining the established peaceful coexistence with the host community, dating back to over 200 years of cordial Fulani existence in the Southwest. Indeed, we are firm, committed, and determined to pass on the sustained peaceful coexistence that has been maintained to our future generations. On this note, we affirm our commitment to the following decisions.

“This body, which is the Apex body of Fulani community in Southwest, has resolved to strengthen the effective partnership with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission in ensuring safety and security across Southwestern Nigeria.

“We condemn in totality any act of bandtry, kidnapping, farmland destruction, farmer-herder conflict that could be linked to the Fulani community, as we charge the Security Agencies, specifically the Office of the National Security Adviser, to be deeply committed to fishing out the criminal elements and their conspirators within the host communities while we charge the media houses to report responsibly to mitigate ethnic profiling,” the Sarkin Fulani said.

Bambado, while giving the charge, said the Council under his leadership had unanimously placed absolute ban on night grazing, underage grazing, and herders carrying firearms and other related dangerous weapons that were not relevant to the profession, saying that the move would contribute to effective sanity and peace in the sector within the Southwest region.

Besides, he further disclosed that the Council, with equanimity, placed total ban on “violent festival/carnival of Fulani community across the Southwest that often leads to loss of lives and severe injuries, saying that these were “mere cultures that do not really align with the current security reality in the country.”

“We are resolute in a total state-to-state ban on excessive influx of unregulated herders with their highly voluminous cattle, which has recently become a major cause of farmers/herders’ conflicts across Southwest Nigeria.

“Considering the current security realities of the country, it becomes pertinent to discourage herder migration from one state to another and encourage modern grazing patterns at any of our respective locations that could be sustainable.

“We also affirm a standing rule for the ratification by this Council of any newly proposed Sarkin Fulani or representative to ensure they are well scrutinized and approved by the Council, thereby avoiding the appointment of individuals with questionable characters as our Sarkin or representatives in several communities across Southwest, Nigeria,” he said.

This was just as he demanded that Kwara State should be included under the council for a joint security solution, positing that any insecurity tendency in the state “tends to spread into the Southwest due to the close border posts through Ekiti State, Oyo State and Benin Republic, respectively.”

Speaking further, Bambado said, as a way of adopting global best practices in livestock production and strict adherence to laws of the land, promoting peaceful coexistence, giving the current security situation in the country, the Council had agreed to launch a comprehensive sensitization and engagement tour across the Southwest region.

He equally disclosed the Council’s readiness to launch across the Southwest region a data collection to be named: “Cattle Farmers Data Collection,” saying that the initiative was aimed at ensuring proper documentation and developmental purposes.

Bambado, however, highlighted the need for revival of Nomadic education centers across Fulani settlements in the Southwest region, sadly noting that illiteracy had been one of the major causes of insecurity in Northern Nigeria and settlements of Fulani across the Southwest.

“The significant decline in the establishment of Nomadic schools at Fulani settlements remains a threat to the future of our teeming youth,” he warned.

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