Governor Bala’s Statement Shouldn’t Attract Negative Reaction – Arewa Youth
POLITICS DIGEST- A Northern Youth Organisation Arewa Youth Forum has condemned the negative reaction to a statement made by governor Bala Mohammad of Bauchi State.
The governor in the statement said the Fulani herders were forced to carry arms to protect themselves due to the failure of the government and people to protect them against attacks by cattle rustlers, bandits, kidnappers as well as assassins.
The Youth umbrella of Northern Nigeria made the statement in a press conference it addressed at the Arewa House in Kaduna on Friday.
The statement which read in parts:
“In recent days, there has been a lot of comments and needless controversies on the recent comments made by Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, Kauran Bauchi, at the closing ceremony of the Press Week of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Bauchi State Council, to the effect that Fulani herders were forced to carry arms to protect themselves due to the failure of the government and people to protect them against attacks by cattle rustlers, bandits, kidnappers as well as assassins.
Without mincing words, we state categorically here that Governor Balance Mohammed’s comments need not attract any negative reactions, considering the fact that it is an open secret today that the Fulani herdsmen have been exposed to vagaries of cattle rustling, banditry, kidnappings, among many others, in Nigeria of today. Many herders have lost their lives while undertaking their legitimate business of cattle rearing. Any well meaning Nigerians will not speak against these Nigerian resorting to self help in protecting themselves in the face of government failure to protect them.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) clearly stipulates in Section 14 (2) (b) that, “The SECURITY and WELFARE of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” Despite being bona fide Nigerians who are constitutionally guaranteed their security and welfare, the government has done nothing to secure the lives and cattle of the herders. It is in this context that Governor Mohammed made mention of the use of Ak-47 by the herders to protect themselves against attacks. The Arewa Youths Forum categorically declare our support for the governor on this.
To us, the governor never any where in his speech voiced support for criminal herders in any form whatsoever. Rather, he spoke against ethnic profiling of the Fulani herders as a bunch of criminals. It is a known fact that as there are good people among all tribes in Nigeria today, so there are bad people. No tribe has the monopoly of being made up solely of good people or bad people. It is not only wrong to say all Fulani herders are bad but also unjust to profile them as criminals.
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We notice that Governor Bala Mohammed, Kauran Bauchi, equally spoke against the backdrop of threats of eviction and indeed attempts being made in some states, particularly in the South-West, against Fulani herdsmen. Again, the governor has our support in this regard. Every Nigerian has the right to stay freely in any part of the Nation. This is guaranteed in Section 41 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
For clarity purpose, the Section clearly states: “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit there from.”
Giving the above constitutional provision, it is manifestly wrong for anyone to prevent any Nigerians, irrespective of there tribal and religious affiliations, from move and staying in any part they so desire to stay in Nigeria. It is, therefore, our strong belief that any threats and or attempts to expel Fulani herders from any part of Nigeria is an attempt not only to subvert the Constitution but also fanning the ember of disunity, division and disintegration of Nigeria.
Rather than making Governor Bala Mohammed a scapegoat, we urge those criticising him on the patriotic speech he made to watch their utterances in order not to escalate the already tensed atmosphere in Nigeria today. It is an open secret that the governor is a true patriot, who love and commitment to a One Nigeria is not in doubt. We muat remind Nigerians and indeed tge entire worls that Governor Bala Mohammed took personal and political risks in 2010 to move the ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ on the floor of Senate in 2010 which led to the emergence of the then Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as the acting President and eventually President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No one among his critics could say they are more patriotic that Governor Mohammed in this regard.
In view of this, we strongly advise those behind the recent mounting tension in the country to immediate desist from doing that. The governors in the South trying hard to expel Fulani herdsmen and also restrict their movement contrary to the provisions of the Constitution which they swore to uphold must be told that they too have their people in the North here.
We Northerners are peace-loving people and very accommodating as well. This explains why there are many Southerners up North, doing their businesses here without and harassment or even any threats of evacuation. This should serve as a big lesson for those in the South threatening our people.
We, therefore, call on Southern states government to do everything possible to guarantee the safety of Northerners in their domains. It is in view of this that we condemn in the strongest terms the recent attack on Hausa people Shasha area of Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State. The attack leading to death of Hausa people ought to have been nipped in bud if the state government had been proactive enough.
We call on the Oyo State government to ensure that Hausa victims of the crisis are adequately compensated, while families of those who lost their lives in the clash should equally be compensated, while the perpetrators should be brought to book to serve as a deterrent for others”.
