Sultan makes case for Fulani herdsmen

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has said that Fulani herdsmen were not involved in most of the killings across the country.

According to Punch, the Sultan said this on Monday, December 19, 2016, while on an official visit to Enugu state.

The monarch said “It is not only the Fulani that are herdsmen, there are herdsmen from other ethnic groups in the country,” he said, adding that those who commit crimes in the guise of cattle rearing should be described as criminals, and not as Fulani herdsmen.”

He added that “If anybody commits any crime, he should be given his real name, which is a criminal, whether he is Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo or Ibibio.

“Fulanis have been living in peace with the people in communities where they rear their cattles, will they wake up one day and start attacking and killing these people? It is not possible. Something must be wrong somewhere.

“We (Fulanis) will never support killing, we will not support killing.

“I want to tell you that the Fulani people cannot do that.

“Until we give these killers there reals name, which is criminals, we will not overcome the security challenges we have.”

ALSO READ:Those killing people are foreign terrorists - Sultan of Sokoto

The Sultan was invited by the Enugu government for a reception which was held in honour of Rangers International of Enugu.

Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar had earlier stated in September 2016, that those fighting with farmers are foreign terrorists.