The sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Muslims, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, speaks to the media at the state house in Abuja on December 27, 2011. Nigeria’s top Muslim spiritual leader sought to calm tensions Tuesday after meeting the country’s president over deadly Christmas attacks claimed by Islamists that risk inflaming sectarian divisions. AFP PHOTO / WOLE EMMANUEL (Photo credit should read WOLE EMMANUEL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Royal Majesty, HRH, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said that 7 to 8 out of every 10 kidnappers arrested in Nigeria are Fulanis, Page 36 learnt.
However, the Sultan who disclosed this in Abuja, at a meeting of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, added that it is wrong to label all Fulanis as criminals.
Recall, that the meeting came in the wake of tensions, especially across the South-West States, which many have attributed to the criminal activities by some Fulani herdsmen in the region.
The Sultan of Sokoto said: “I am a Fulani, and I am not a bad man. I am also not a criminal. Those engaged in one form of crimes or another are across the country. It is not proper to refer to any tribe as criminals.
“For example, when they collected N10 million, where and how do you spend this amount in the bush? The money is back in the city. I have told the Inspector-General of Police to check this; we are not saying Fulanis are not part of the kidnappings as mentioned by the Secretary of Miyetti Allah, 7 to 8 kidnappers arrested are Fulanis, but that does not mean every Fulani is a criminal, no they are not.
“We must put hands together to bring an end to this problem. We are going to approach the President to talk to our West African neighbours where we have Fulanis, like Senegal, Niger Republic, Guinea, and Mali, to help us, because most of these bandits cross from neighbouring countries, conduct their criminal acts and run back.”
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