It is not impossible that the statement being attributed to the Fulani NATIONALITY Movement was made by faceless people who want to throw this country into avoidable disastrous ethnic cum religious war, the end of which no one can predict.
However, in what fundamental way is the purported statement by the purported Fulani NATIONALITY Movement different from the published interview/statement by a Professor who argued in a similar vein in recent time? What happened to him? Was he made to bear the necessary legal consequences for his hate statements?
In what fundamental way is the response of Mr President different from that of Miyeti Allah (who are the real employers of herdsmen) who linked the killing and rustling of cattle to the cause of Plateau State genocidal killings?
In what fundamental way is the statement by Vice President Osinbajo different from that of the Miyeti Allah? The Vice President was quoted to have told the mourning communities in Plateau State that the issue 'is give and take" and that it is not a zero sum game issue. I thought a responsible government should have a zero tolerance in issues involving genocidal killings. Whether the culprits are herdsmen or any other person, whether the victims are herdsmen or non herdsmen, i thought any one found culpable should be brought to justice and that the attitude of Government should send such a very clear and strong signal. But has anyone been brought to justice? For the first time in the history of this country, the Catholic Church, as Church, was compelled to organise nation wide peaceful protests against genocidal killings.
What we hear from the authorities is demoralising.
In what way is the purported statement by the purported Fulani NATIONALITY Movement different from the attitude of the Defence Minister and the IGP who said the anti open grazing law is the cause of killings by herdsmen and that such anti open grazing laws should be suspended.
Indeed, Governor El-Rufai was reportedly quoted to have admitted paying the "foreign" murderous segments of the herdsmen so that they would no longer trouble his State.
What we are witnessing is a fundamentally new development, which goes beyond farmers-herdsmen conflicts. In my community, when i was young, i had herdsmen as friends. They are and were not killers. What threats do children and women who are being killed today, particularly in the North Central constitute?
The minimum responsibility of any government is to safeguard lives. When a government is compromised in guaranteeing life as a sacred property inherent in every being, that government has become a risk to society and the people have the constitutional right under section 40 to resort to constitutionally backed peaceful protests to reorganise society in ways that would guarantee fundamental freedom to life. Nigeria appears to be at a cross road and moving too fast to the precipice. We all have a responsibility to contribute to collectively saying enough is enough!
Femi Aborisade
27th June 2018.
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