……..Harps on the need for fairness
ABUJA: The Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has called for fair treatment of Fulani Herdsmen in the country, as part of measures in tackling the insecurity in the country.
Bello said that the lack of fairness towards the Fulani Herdsmen is among the factors responsible for the escalation of violence in some parts of the country.
Bello who stated this in Abuja on Wednesday during a national security summit organized by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) said that it is difficult to achieve peace if Nigerians are not treated equally.
The summit which is the first of its kind organized by MACBAN and The Northern Consensus Movement was convened with the theme; “Exploring the contemporary challenges facing pastoralism and Fulbe with the view of proffering workable solutions in curbing insecurity across the nation”.
Bello said that the government must henceforth recognize the Fulani Herdsmen in Nigeria to tackle the insecurity as well as other forms of social vices such as drug abuse.
According to him, they contribute largely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country and therefore deserve compensation over the issue of cattle rustling that has crippled many Herdsmen economically.
“Until the day when we are all treated equally as Nigerians, it will be difficult to attain peace.
“When a particular ethnic group is being treated as second-class citizens without access to government palliatives or not even recognized, then there is a problem”, he said.
He urged the government to find a way of cushioning the effect of cattle rustling as it was being done to farmers who equally suffered natural disasters such as flooding.
“I am not saying that all their cattle should be replaced but these should be a platform to bounce back gradually over time”, Bello said.