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The north has come out to deny that the incendiary, genocidal terrorists ravaging the middle belt and south are Fulani herders. While indeed the culprits are mercenaries and appear to have no herds nor any humanity that would have been derived from the process of herding sensitive beasts, there is much contrary evidence against the entire denials of the Sultan and northern governors.
While it is essential Nigerians recognize and treat terrorists as such: terrorists to be hunted and killed without regard to religion or ethnicity, it is always important to get the sponsors and those Nigerians high or low, important or not, sedentary or nomadic who believe in violence and sponsor it. You can never abate terror without extracting the perpetrators and their sponsors from society.
Identical Denial and FG Kid Gloves Approach Led To Boko Haram Scourge
Important as regards the denial of the north is the result of such denial in our recent history. Boko Haram was a result of a similar denial of the north and the then presidency as repeats again today. While many of the same northern elite refused to condemn Boko Haram for what it was, trying desperately to associate with these wahhabi takfiri blood suckers simply because it was “difficult” to condemn people who claimed to be of their same “religious sect,” some northerners went as far as positively appraising the terrorists with then active chairman of the PDP party, recently honored by President Muhammadu Buhari, Bamanga Tukur stating that “Boko Haram is fighting for justice; Boko Haram is another name for justice.”
The denial and desperate religious affiliation with the takfiri wahhabi extremist terrorists made Nigeria the most terrorized nation on earth as many as over 100,000 lives lost and over 2 million displaced.
Today again it is time for the north to decide whether to disown its son or to denounce its son. The north reluctantly choose not to denounce and address, but to rather disown its son. While we must commend the north for its quick response, without focusing on the fact that the reaction to a perturbing crises focused as much on the denial and defense than on the atrocities, it is important we hold ourselves to the truth to properly atone for lives lost and to not allow the perpetrators go free while also ensuring a secure and safe tomorrow by properly identifying the factors that cause and contribute to terror today.
Three Proofs The Fulani Herders Are Linked To The Massacres
1. According to a Vanguard report on March 4th, a certain Ado Boderi speaking “on behalf of the Fulani community,” defended the massacre claiming it was retaliation for the Agatu people having killed 10,000 of the herders’ cows.
2. A next bit of evidence that certain Fulani herders paid for the mercenaries who ravaged Agatu and likely also Enugu is the evidence of self admission. According to a PremiumTimes report after the Agatu massacre, “Why We Struck In Agatu,” published March 9th, a certain Saleh Bayeri, who claimed to be the Interim National Secretary of Gan Allah Fulani Association, admitted the massacre and explained that it was a delayed retaliation for crimes perpetrated against the herdsmen since 2013. We are not sure this man has been arrested yet.
3. The third and a particularly key piece of evidence is the testimony of Nigerian security agency heads. In media reports on March 4th, IGP Arase claimed to have met with heads of the Fulani and Agatu people who related details of the “problems” between them since 2012, claiming that hundreds of people had been killed on either side. If the Agatu massacre was not perpetrated at the behest of the Fulani then why did the Fulani meet with Arase to discuss it? Or who did Buratai and Arase meet with to discuss and negotiate resolution? If indeed it is only terrorist actors and they are not sponsored by the Fulani community as the Sultan and northern governors claim, does this mean that Buratai and Arase negotiated with straight-up terrorists who directly killed hundreds of Agatu people and let them walk?
Who Negotiates For Terror/Terrorists?
Buhari refused to negotiate for Boko Haram because he knew that this would link him with the sect. Datti Ahmed asked Jonathan to conceal the fact that he was helping negotiate with Boko Haram and abandoned the negations in anger when some members of the Jonathan government allegedly spilled the beans that he was negotiating for Boko Haram.
While we believe the security agencies must be sued for discussing with leaderships of groups of Nigerians who admit perpetrating violence, and not arresting them, the fact that the security agencies identified those connected with the Agatu massacre as being linked with he heads of the Fulani community in that area debunks the tales of the Sultan of Sokoto and the claims of the northern governors.
Nigeria must be brave enough to embrace the truth and stand firm in justice even when it affects personal self. Unless and until Nigerians get to that point, the nation will continue to be bedeviled with terror and corruption in one form or another. The Sultan who doubles as the leader of Nigerian Muslims should be aware of this passage in his Holy Quran, Chapter 4:135: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well Acquainted with what you do.”
Nigeria must be ruled with wisdom. The craziness is causing much to much complications. The Bible says in Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Let there be truth, justice and wisdom in the conduct of the affairs of our elected and appointed officials that no new lives are unnecessarily lost and that Nigeria may not scatter.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah; @EveryNigerian
