Herders have no option than to carry AK-47, they are not protected by the Government – Bala Mohammed
Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed has stated that Fulani herdsmen have no option but to carry firearms because they are exposed to the uncertainties of the forest coupled with the fact that they do not get protection from the Government.
He made this comment while speaking as a Special Guest of honour at the NUJ’s press week celebration on Thursday as he slammed the South-west for refusing to accommodate herdsmen.
The Bauchi governor noted that the north has over the years accommodated westerners, stressing that Fulani herdsmen have the right to live anywhere as Nigerians.
“Because the Fulani man is practising the tradition of pastoralism, he has been exposed to the vagaries of the forest, cattle rustlers who carry guns, kill him and take away his commonwealth, which is the cows,” he said.
“He has no option than to carry AK47 because the society and the government are not protecting him, what is his fault; it’s the fault of the government and the people. You don’t criminalize all of them, because, in every tribe, there are criminals.”
Bala Mohammed also condemned Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue for handling the farmers and herdsmen clashes poorly.
He said: “The governor that is most wrong is the governor of Benue State, my brother and colleague Governor Samuel Ortom; he started all these.
“If you don’t accommodate other tribes, we are also accommodating your tribes in Bauchi and other places. We have so many Tiv people farming in Alkaleri, in Tafawa Balewa, farming in Bogoro LGAs; has anybody told them to go?
“We have not; because it’s their own inalienable rights to be there. We have Yoruba people in Bauchi, for over 150 years, even before the birth of Nigeria; some of them have risen to become permanent Secretaries in Bauchi, in Gombe and in Borno.
“You can see what our colleagues in the south-west and some from the south-east are doing. If cyber crime is practised by one tribe, you don’t criminalise all the tribe that they are criminals.”
idiot of man… when they didn’t have a certain settlement and how do you expect the government to protect them and also it’s unlawful p them to Carry fire arms…..
Who asked them to be living in the Forest, they are doing business with the grazing of cattle, why can’t you too provide ranch for them in your state in order to protect them.
This is nonsense, when a whole governor of the state could say this, then what do you expect those herdsmen to do. This is the act of encourage killing in the country.