By; Oladele Adedayo, Ado-Ekiti
Fulanis from Ilorin, Kwara State have begged Ekiti state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose to lift the ban placed on open grazing to save the cattle business of more than 100,000 of their members across the state.
They also exonerated themselves of complicity in the attack launched by suspected herdsmen on Oke Ako-Ekiti in Ikole local Government area of the state last Friday, leading to the death of two persons.
The Sarki of the Fulani from Ilorin, Alhaji Mahmood Ahmadu, spoke in Ado-Ekiti Wednesday.
Fayose had during his visit to Oke Ako in Ikole Local Government on Monday, announced that every cattle rearer in the state must own a ranch, ordering the villagers to start killing cattle sighted within their premises or farmlands.
Ahmadu lamented that his members had vacated their residences and property in Oke Ako, Irele and Ipao-Ekiti as a result of the order given by the governor that any cattle seen around the vicinity must be killed.
He revealed that his members have over three million cattle across the 16 areas of the state, saying restricting them would bring their businesses to a halt.
Ahmadu promised that his people will join hands with Fayose to bring the perpetrators of the nefarious act to book and to secure the state and prevent it from being attacked by killer herdsmen.
“Ilorin Fulani herdsmen are not killers, we are responsible citizens. I have been in Ado-Ekiti for 40 years. My people had property in their locations and are now living in palpable fear. If we should tie all our cows, how do we feed them. They will all die and this will be disastrous to our members.
“We appeal to all traditional rulers to help our people and save them from attack. They should also help us beg the governor to lift the ban to ease our burden. We are cohabiting with our host communities peacefully and this we shall sustain at all cost”, he assured.
The Chairman of the Fulani Ilorin in Moba Local Government, Alhaji Kayode Suleiman, urged his members to be vigilant and be ready to expose the identities of those hiding under cattle rearing to unleash mayhem on the people.
He said they have set up a committee to liaise with the state government, so that they can fashion out ways to deal with the killer herdsmen that are causing restiveness in the state.
“We have association in Ekiti and the name is Jamu Nati Fulbe Association of Nigeria. We have our bases and we are identifiable unlike some itinerant herdsmen. So, we want the people of the state to show understanding by separating our members from these evil doers”, he pleaded.
