No herdsman would kidnap Falae - Fulani group says

President of Jamu Nati Fulbe Association, a Fulani

socio-cultural group in the South-west, Alhaji

Salihu Kadir has denied allegations that Fulani

herdsmen were responsible for the kidnap of

former presidential aspiant, Olu Falae or even

engaged in acts of kidnapping in the South West of

Nigeria.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Kadir said no

Fulani herder who is preoccupied with feeding and

nourishing his herds of cows and sheep would think

of kidnapping anyone, not to talk of an elder

statesman like Falae.

He said calls made by Afenifere group and a two

time minister, Femi Fani-Kayode that Fulani

herdsmen must be banned in the South West, were

unfortunate and will amount to denying herdsmen

their means of survival and invariably hurt the

economy. He accused other farmers in the south

west of committing crimes and blackmailing Fulani

herdsmen

“Nobody would say this act was committed by

the Ibo, Yoruba or Hausa, this is unfair.

Every time a crime was committed, it is

Fulani that is always responsible, enough of

this blackmail. This is the major challenge we

are facing. The Fulani herdsmen are only

after the welfare of their cows, yet we are

being blackmailed consistently. Farmers

would lie against us that we are responsible

for the destruction of their farms and they

would present fake pictures and evidence to

the police in order to implicate the

herdsmen"he said