The umbrella body for Fulani Herdsmen in the country, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has asked it’s members to defend themselves against any ethnic militia group in the country.
This is coming President Muhammadu Buhari asked Fulani herdsmen in the South to ignore the call by northern elders asking them to return to the North.
In an interview with Journalists, The National Secretary of the group, Saleh Alhassan, urged it’s members to exercise their rights to free movements as Nigerians, warning that governors in the southern part of the country would be held responsible if any of their members was attacked.
His statement comes in reaction to various calls for Herdsmen to vacate the south or stop violent in the southern part of the country by major stakeholders such as the South-East Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Youth Council and Oodua Peoples Congress.
But, speaking on Thursday, he said, “We are Nigerians and we have a history. Anybody that thinks he can wake up and take on the Fulani pastoralist is making a grievous mistake; we are well prepared to defend our fundamental human rights of movement in this country.
“They (herdsmen) are Nigerians, so they are entitled to stay where they are. They should remain where they are and defend themselves against ethnic militia and assert their citizenship in this country.
“The only thing we would say is that we will hold all the governors of those states responsible for their safety and security, but if any ethnic militia, by any name, attacks our members, they should defend themselves in a manner that nobody would try such again,” he added.
