Terrorism: Northern elders warn against profiling Fulani

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has cautioned the federal government against profiling and targeting all Fulani as terrorists, saying that millions of law-abiding Fulani should be encouraged to stay on the side of the law.

NEF also noted that President Buhari’s silence on Nnamdi Kanu will do serious injury to a country already threatened by multiple challenges to its security and territorial integrity if he delays announcing that the judicial process in the case of Kanu must be allowed to run its course.

Recall that, federal High Court in Abuja under trial Justice Taiwo Taiwo has ruled that activities of bandits, as well as other similar groups, by whatever names they are called, in any part of the country, amounted to acts of terrorism and subsequently declared them terrorists.

NEF Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement yesterday, said, the forum has noted a judicial decision to label bandits and kidnappers as terrorists and recommends greater clarity in terms of the targets of this development.

“There are millions of Fulani who are law-abiding citizens and they should be encouraged to stay, while those who have chosen to continue on the path of criminality should feel the full weight of the law”, he said.

NEF  has also noted that “They have carefully studied the request of Igbo Elders for President Muhammadu Buhari to terminate the trial of Nnamdi Kanu and release him unconditionally. It has also been noted that President Buhari’s response both raised very weighty issues related to the request, and his commitment to consider it.”

The forum also called for the postponement of National census planned for 2022 until after the 2023 elections.

“The integrity and success of a sensitive and vital activity such as this will be compromised by destabilized and threatened communities and proximity to another sensitive activity such as general elections.”