Police Brush Off Alleged Threat By ‘Fulani Jihadists’ To Attack Delta
POLITICS DIGEST –Delta State Police Command CP Mohammed Ari Ali has dismissed threat from a self-styled “Fulani Jihadist” group to launch attacks on Asaba and Agbor unless Governor Ifeanyi Okowa rescinds his support for the ban on open grazing in Delta and the other 16 states comprising Southern Nigeria.
A statement, on Sunday night, by the police command spokesman, Bright Edafe (a DSP), waved off the reported threat by a faceless group that idenfied itself as Uthman dan Fodio Jihadist movement” as inconsequential and something to simply ignore.
However, the statement by the police advised the people in the state to go about their lawful activities without fear of intimidation or attacks from any quarter.
The police attributed the source of the leaflet, “Fulani Jihadist Warnings”, reportedly posted at different conspicuous points at Agbor and Asaba, including on walls near the Government House, as the handiwork of miscreants who were intent on creating panic among law-abiding citizens in the state and escalating insecurity in the land.
The discreetly circulated statement claimed that the group was angered by the fact that the Delta State governor hosted the May 11, 2021 meeting of the governors of the 17 southern states in Nigeria in Asaba, where it was resolved that open grazing be banned in the states.
While claiming to be protecting the Uthman Dan Fodio heritage of free open grazing in Nigeria and the entire West Africa subregion, the group asked the Delta State governor to disown the position of the south-South-South and Southern governors on open gazing of cattle instead of ranching.
The group threatened to attack Asaba and Agbor, and claimed responsibility for last week’s fire incident at the Federal Secretariat Asaba, which destroyed the second floor office of the NYSC completely.
“This is to inform Delta State that the Fulani of Usman dan fodio leadership shall do everything it can to uphold the legacy of our heritage of open grazing for we are nomadic people from origination and shall never negotiate the ownership of Nigeria and West Africa and sub Sahara.
“We hereby demand the governor of Delta State to immediately withdraw ‘is early’ stand for the call to ‘barn’ (sic) open grazing in the 17 ‘regions’ in not less than 72 hours from above date, and also withdraw his position as the leading voice for the governors”, the statement said.
Dated June 13, 2021, the statement was typewritten on a background with pictures of armed Muslim militants and with the headings, “FUNANI JIHADIST WARNINGS!” and “An Open Message of 2 Paragraphs to Delta State”.
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After apparently ignoring for several hours social media comments on the poorly worded leaflet sighted in parts of the state capital, the police command broke its silence, saying their attention had been drawn to the threatened attack on Delta State because of Governor Okowa’s support for the ban on open grazing in the country, particularly the southern states.
Titled, “Delta State Police Command Assures Deltans of Their Safety and Security”, the police said, “The attention of the Command has been drawn to a recent publication making rounds purportedly published by the ‘Fulani’s of Usman dan Fodio leadership’ tagged “FULANI JIHADIST WARNINGS” and pasted in various locations round Asaba and Agbor to be precise.”
It said the command, under the watch of Ari Muhammed Ali, as Delta State Commissioner of Police, was unwavery in its commitment to the security of lives and property of the people of Delta State.
The spokesman quoted the police commissioner as “assuring members of the public to ignore the said publication, which must have been pasted by miscreants with the aim of creating panic in the state.”
The police said that “modalities have been put in place to forestall any of such occurrence”, advising residents “to go about their lawful businesses without fear or panic”, adding the “undercover police operatives have been deployed across the state for the purpose of gathering intelligence.
“Other proactive measures have been put in place by the command”, it further said, even as it urged members of the public to continue to cooperate and work with the police by volunteering “useful information that will help in policing the state.”
Nevertheless, The Movement for the Emancipation and Defence of the Niger Delta warned of dire reprisal consequences, should the said Fulani or Usman dan Fodio heritage leadership group carry through their threat to Delta and the state governor, after the three-day (72 hours) ultimatum.
In the statement titled, “Response to the Fulani Threat to Okowa on Open Grazing by Southern Governors” and signed off as “Dragon War, MEND”, the group said on Monday:
“The attention of “The Movement for the Emancipation and the Defence of the Niger Delta” has been brought to the threat of some Fulani terrorists who have given a 3 days warning to the Governor of Delta State because of his support for the ban of open grazing across the Southern State.
“We also saw your taking responsibility for an explosion at the Secretariat in Asaba.
“We are warning that if your threat is made to come to fulfilment, No Fulani will ever exist across the Niger Delta and all oil facilities linked to a Fulani will be brought down. If one soul is lost, Ten Fulani souls will pay for it. If one Facility is destroyed, Ten Fulani facilities will be destroyed. We will respond proportionately ten times whatever you give, the corresponding response will not be limited to the Delta, It may be with your politicians or with your rulers.
“We will launch three rocket launchers and ballistic missiles at any facility of our choice as a warning in seven days if you make bold your threats.
“We don’t make cheap threats. We have shutdown the country and we can at anytime shut you down. We are the Niger Delta, We stand for the interest of the Niger Delta and we will not allow any coward threaten us. We fight without running. Be warned!”
