Nobody can stop Fulani herdsmen – Professor says

Former vice chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has said that nobody can stop the Fulani herdsmen from moving around freely in Nigeria.

Abdullahi said the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for the free movement of citizens across the country.

You will recall that Governor Ayo Fayose banned Fulani herdsmen from grazing in Ekiti state, following the alleged of killing of two people by the cattle rearers.

The Professor also described the Fulani herdsmen as businessmen who can move freely to access the resources they require for their business.

Abdullahi  said “And if for any reason, somebody in one section of this country will deny him access then we have to take measures to response to that. We are not saying that if a herdsman encroaches on a farm land . . . and this has been the tradition here for years; when  they do some crops get damaged and an assessment is made and they pay. So why all the petty attitude?

“I see what is happening today as a new dimension to political and ethnic cleansing that if not carefully handled may lead to other big things. The Herdsman is a Nigerian his rights must be exercised as a Nigerian he has free movement like everybody else to pursue legitimate business and he cannot be denied access to any part of the country.”

“I am a Fulani man my ancestors were in the bush, but we find reasons to settle in one place. I have cows and anytime they cause damage I pay compensation and so that is the way it will be.

“The Fulani man is a Nigerian he has rights like any other Nigerian he works freely to access legitimate economic resources of this country like land. Land is common thing for all Nigerians. In fact, what really amazes me there is no Nigerian I know that works as hard as a herdsman; he sleeps on the branches of trees he has no permanent abode, he toils day and night with his animals,” he added.

Fulani herdsmen in Cross River state have begged the Governor, Ben Ayade to allocate a portion of land for them in the state for grazing.