By Umar Salam.
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) have criticized the failure of the Federal Government to positively address the challenges being faced by herders, coupled with the instigation of hatred and attacks on the Fulani across the country.
The CNG, through its spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, during a visit to the Chairman, Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi called for the relocation of Fulani herdsmen to their various states.
“We find it difficult to trust the commitments of this government, which has for the past four years failed to execute any positive initiative towards resolving the herders problems nor shown any encouraging concern for the dilemma of the Fulani who have been attacked in various states.
“Based on the above observations sir, and the fact that the instigation of hatred against the Fulani persists, we feel obliged to advise the leadership of the Northern Elders Forum to consider calling on the Fulani to forego their right to live and flourish anywhere in the south and relocate to their various states in the north to ensure their safety”, he said.
Speaking on the death of Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti, the CNG spokesman blamed the southern leadership for “shamelessly changing the narratives” around her killing, and resorting to threats of war against the northerners.
“Throwing caution to the winds, Gani Adams, Fani-Kayode, Yinka Odumakin and a host of other southern regionalists shamelessly insisted on changing the narratives around killing of the Fasoranti lady. In the process, they threatened all forms of violations and breaches against northerners including the threat of an all-out war.
“With all these statements and steps taken by the southern governors and opinion leaders, we are worried that none of the northern governors or federal official has deemed it apt to caution them.
“The failure or neglect of the police to trace a connection between the Fasoranti murder and the seeming prearranged conduct of Fani-Kayode, Odumakin and Adams by their haste to shift the blame in order to render the Fulani object of attack is certainly suspicious”, he stated.