Stop criminalising Fulani herdsmen, politicians urged

The North Central Youth for Good Governance has appealed to politicians to stop criminalising Fulani herdsmen. The group’s chairman, Sani AbdulSalam, while reacting to diatribes between Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and his Bauchi State counterpart, Senator Bala Mohammed, said it was not only wrong to say all Fulani herders are bad but also […]

Stop criminalising Fulani herdsmen, politicians urged

FILE PHOTO: Cows

The North Central Youth for Good Governance has appealed to politicians to stop criminalising Fulani herdsmen.

The group’s chairman, Sani AbdulSalam, while reacting to diatribes between Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and his Bauchi State counterpart, Senator Bala Mohammed, said it was not only wrong to say all Fulani herders are bad but also unjust to profile them as criminals.

AbdulSalam, at a press briefing in Abuja, said, “We conceded that there are some criminals among herders but that does not mean all Fulani people are criminals. As there are good people among all tribes in Nigeria today, so there are bad people.

“There has never been any time in history in which a tribe is made up solely of good people or bad people. It is not only wrong to say all Fulani herders are bad but also unjust to profile them as criminals.”

He also appealed to governments at all levels to capture pastoralists in their programmes aimed at encouraging and boosting agriculture.

There is no denying the fact that animal husbandry is part of agriculture, he added.