‘Fulanis Are Not Criminals’ – Miyetti Allah Sets Up Legal Committee To Fight Injustices Against Herdsmen

A Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has frowned at treatments meted on its members across Nigerian states over the years.

The herders’ association said its members are not criminals as has been assumed and treated by many.

Naija News reports that the organization noted this during their last annual general meeting held in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Concerning this, the herders’ association constituted a 55-member legal committee as it vowed to tackle and end alleged injustice suffered by its members The organisation mandated the committees to take stock of all cases against its members nationwide with a view to seek legal redress on them.

Miyetti Allah also set up two other committees comprising enlightenment and nomadic education to address the problem of education and social cohesion.

It stressed that the continuous incarceration of Fulani cattle herders in the country had compelled them to inaugurate the 55-member legal team to rescue its people unjustly treated.

Speaking at the meeting, the National President of the association, Alhaji Abdullahi Bodejo, said that a situation where all Fulani herdsmen were treated as criminally-minded people was untrue, unjust and unfair, Vanguard reports.

Bodejo added that the legal team had been mandated by the association to provide legal assistance to all herders unjustly treated, humiliated and sent to jail in their fatherland, and urged the herders to live in peace and harmony with other Nigerians to stem the rate of accusation and been arrested by the security agencies.

He further warned that anyone fermenting trouble among other citizens of the country and gets 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 situation has been very worrisome; that is why we decided to constitute the 55-man 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 any of our kinsmen found to be involved in unjustified trouble will not be assisted by our lawyers,” SaharaReporters quoted the association leader saying.

Also speaking, 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 and as such, Fulani herders should not be treated as if crimes begin and end with them.