- To rescue herdsmen currently serving unjust jail terms
- Urged herders to live in peace and harmony with other Nigerians
Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-Cultural Association Monday vowed to tackle injustice being suffering by its members across the country saying the injustices must come to an end.
To this end, the Socio cultural Organization has constituted a 55 member Legal Committee to to take stock of all cases against it members nationwide with a view to seek legal redress.
Two other committees comprising enlightenment and nomadic education were also inaugurated to address the problem of education and social cohesion.
The association declared their stand during their annual general meeting held in Karu Local government Area of Nasarawa state
According to the association, the continuous incarceration of Fulani cattle herders in the country especially in correctional centres across the country has compiled the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultur to inaugurated a 55 member legal team to rescue herdsmen currently serving unjust jail terms.
National President of the association, Alhaji Abdullahi Bodejo, said at the group’s 2023 Annual General Meeting that a situation where all Fulani herdsmen were treated as criminally minded people was not only untrue, unjust and unfair.
He added that the legal team have been mandated by the association to provide legal assistance to all herders unjustly treated, humiliated and sent to jail in their father land must be put to and end.
While urging the herders to live in peace and harmony with other Nigerians to stem the rate of accusation and been arrested by the security agencies, Bodejo further warned that anyone fermenting trouble among other citizens of the country and get arrested by the security agencies, will not be rescued by the association.
“Many of our kinsmen are in correctional facilities across the country for unjust reasons. They are always arrested and sent to jail simply because they are pastoring around grazing areas. Others were arrested just because they are Fulani people” the National President alleged.
“The situation has been very worrisome, that is why we decided to constitute the 55 legal team to help us fight the cause of our people especially the innocent ones to get justice”.
“This association does not encourage violence. We believe in one Nigeria and remain committed to the peace and united nation, so anyone of our kinsmen found to be involved unjustified trouble will not be assisted by our lawyers.”
On her part, the First Lady of Bauchi State and Matron of the Association, Hajiya Aisha Bala Muhammed, maintained that people from all tribes in the country were involved in crime as such Femula I herders should not be treated as if crimes begins and end with them.
She encouraged members of the association to embrace the culture of educating their children and wards so that crime can be drastically reduced in the society.
“In every tribe, there are always people who will give bad name to their kinsmen. All tribes have such people. So, that bad narrative on only the Fulani people is not good. We have to start sending our children to school and give them good upbringings so that they will be useful in our respective states and also contribute meaningfully to the growth of Nigeria,” she said.
Earlier in his welcome address, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Chairman of Karu LGA, James Thomas, assured the association of the continuous support of the state government in issues affecting its members.