Opinion: Arewa Consultative Forum – A People in Self Denial

The Arewa Consultative Forum on Wednesday kicked against what it termed “Criminalising the Fulani. This is a fallout of the atrocities committed by herdsmen in Nigeria in recent times.

My first reaction to the position of the ACF is, what was their position when militants from the south south were branded ” Niger Delta or Ijaw militants ” or when the IPOB were branded ” Ibo criminals”? Was it that everyone from those regions were part of those groups?

Secondly is it not true that cattle herders in Nigeria are predominantly Fulani’s?

Most importantly what has been the effort of the ACF at curbing the activities of the criminals that have been identified as Fulani herdsmen? Has the reaction of the FG not always been that of making excuses about these herders being foreigners and making them offers? Why did the FG not take decisive actions against them the way they did against IPOB and the Niger Delta militants?

What we are seeing today is what happens when those in authority decide to play double standards.

No matter what people say about Obasanjo, he dealt with the OPC when they were becoming a security threat notwithstanding that he is from the southwest.

Buhari has not shown that same commitment so no one should blame those insinuating that the Fulani herdsmen are behaving the way they are presently doing because the President is Fulani. He has not shown that decisiveness he showed in crushing IPOB and the Niger Delta militants in the Fulani herdsmen matter.

The ACF and President Buhari should search their consciences and come out clean!