By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
Fulani communities in Bauchi State have appealed to Governor Bala Mohammed to request the state’s Ministry of Justice to abide by judicial procedures in performing its assigned responsibilities with a view to discard injustices which, they argued, breed chaos and criminality.
Speaking through their associations, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Fulani Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (FUCABAN), the herders said they were compelled to show their grievances for the injustices usually meted to them whenever they have court cases.
The MACBAN state chairman in Bauchi, Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed said at a press conference, “We have been complaining over security silence which is all over Nigeria, is as a result of injustices. Justice must be done if true peace should be maintained. This justice must come from the government, security agencies, and leaders at all levels”.
Alhaji Sadiq Ahmed expressed worrisome with what he called release of criminals who have been terrorizing and killing herders in parts of the state, but gets cover from the personnel with the directorate of public prosecution (DPP) of State Ministry of Justice.
Ahmed who ally fears of fulani members or herders, alleged that sometimes in September last year a team of kidnappers led by two persons, Idris Adamu a.k.a Wakili and a vigilante by name Gargada invaded the house of one Boderi at kundat village in Alkaleri LGA of Bauchi state.
Describing the act as culpable homicide, the association chairman revealed that the suspects arrested 8 fulanis in the village and took them to Galambi forest where they crippled three by beating and torturing them, and killed four others who were Musa Bedu, Zaitu Bedu, Betu Bedu all children of one person, and one Ilya Alh Boderi.
Ahmed explained that the suspected kidnappers went to the houses of the victims, their parents’ houses and killed them, saying “Even if they were kidnapping as it was alleged, it’s the Court that will order for their killings, but not licensed kidnappers.
“The principal suspects as I have mentioned earlier were one Gargada a vigilante and Idris Adamu a.k.a Wakili, who as group leaders went and arrested those persons from Kundat village in Liman Katagum district and took them to Galambi cattle ranch forest where they perpetrated the dastardly act”.
“This case was transferred from Mararrabar Liman Katagum to Nigeria Force Force Zone 12, having been petitioned, but surprisingly the DPP in Bauchi failed to file charges against these suspects up to the time we are making this press briefing. Worst scenario is that all the suspects have been released, and order has been granted for police and any other security agent not to arrest any of them by one of the High Court in Bauchi’.
He said, “Most of these people are alleging that these Gargada and Wakili are somehow from Alkaleri and are related to the Government and therefore should not be punish. We are calling for His Excellency, this is the only medium we would use to let him know the true position of this matter, and until and unless these people are arrested and bring to book, justice would not be done to the herders in Bauchi state and criminality would continue to increase”.
“We are calling on His Excellency and other agencies that are responsible for human justice to ensure that these culprits are retain. We are also appealing that the Ministry of Justice should be compelled, especially the lady at the DPP to file charges against these criminals so that at the end of the day justice would be done to these innocent people that were killed and their parents”
“Worrisome is that the government and nobody is even talking about this issue any longer, it is now seemed as a dead case or a case that has been buried because these people are respected in the society. The suspects were initially arrested, released. We petitioned, they were rearrested and then released again. None of the suspects is now under cell”, he concluded.
