The
socio-cultural group of Fulanis in Nigeria, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association, MACBAN, have threatened to drag the Nigerian government before the
International Criminal Court over the killings of
Fulani
herdsmen by the Nigerian military in Nasarawa State.
The
military had claimed that those it killed last week in an operation in Kaena
community of Nasarawa State, were gunmen who have terrorized local farmers in
the state and neighbouring Benue.
But the
association denied the allegation, saying the victims were innocent Fulani,
even as it alleged that there was a grand plot to eliminate the Fulani from
Nigeria.
Addressing
a press conference in Abuja Tuesday, the Nasarawa State secretary of MACBAN,
Alhaji Mohammed Husseini, called on government to tender a public apology and
pay compensation to the families of those killed by soldiers.
He
said, “Our people were killed in their houses which they have inhabited for
over 30 years without committing any crime. We are convinced beyond reasonable
doubt there is a grand plot to eliminate the Fulani from Nigeria. Otherwise
there is no reason why a people will continue to be killed in their houses by
government troops who are supposed to protect them.
“This
time around we cannot keep quiet, even if it means going to the International
Criminal Court, because what is being done to us amounts to genocide and ethnic
cleansing”.
He
stressing that direct confrontation will never solve the issue at hand,
Husseini noted that the Fulanis are open to positive dialogue.
He said
though there may be bad eggs amongst the Fulanis “the primary responsibility of
the government is to fish out the bad eggs and there are standard procedures
for doing that”.
He
warned that the approach been applied by the government may take a turn for the
worse and may become very difficult to handle.
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