Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu has disclosed that the Fulani tribe feel threatened because they are landless and are constantly in search of land for their animals.
Ribadu said that the crisis between farmers and cattle herders may be as a result of marginalisation of the Fulani tribe in Nigeria.
He said Fulani nomads want a place of their own where they will be taken care of but there are resistance hence the constant crises in some parts of the North.
Ribadu made these assertions while speaking at a two-day national summit on conflict resolution on Monday, October 8, 2018, the Nation reports.
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He further said the country has not made any concrete efforts to integrate the Fulani tribe who make up “15 to 20 million of the population”.
“Nomads are normally landless people who have animals to take care of and, in doing that, there is likely going to be a problem.
“There is also the issue of continuous migration and the attendant problem on ecology and this has continued to put pressure on the system. That is why in Nigeria today, there has been a problem and we have failed to address the fundamental issue.
“We forget that people who are landless will continue to be a problem and part of the problem we are facing today is these people fighting to say we are part of this country.
“They want a place of their own where they will be taken care of, but there is resistance. That is why you see what is going on in Zamfara, Birnin Gwari and most of the places.
“The Fulani in the town who claim to be part of them, or even their traditional rulers who claim to be their leaders, don’t understand what they are going through. They are people who are completely out of everything.
“You can hardly see any nomadic Fulani man that is part of state assembly or the National Assembly and they form about 15 to 20 million of the population and they are marginalised. They are not in any way benefiting from what is happening in the country today.
“There has been only one attempt to address the problem and that was the nomadic education programme. Many of those who participated in the nomadic education programme are PhD holders today and those are working are helping their communities. Other than that, I have not seen any effort geared towards solving their problem,”Ribadu said.
Ribadu also stressed that President Buhari is not to blame for the bloody herdsmen/farmers crisis that has caused innumerable calamities especially in some parts of the country.
Defending Buhari against allegations of supporting his Fulani brothers, Ribadu said Fulani people are actually angry with the president because they believe he has abandoned them.
“People have continued to misunderstand what is going on. President Buhari has nothing to do with what is going on.
“In fact, the Fulani are even angry with him because they think he has abandoned them.
“They think he is listening to the others and that he gives audience to the people from Benue, Plateau and never gave them audience,” he said.
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