THE Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on the northern governors to be ready to receive the Fulani community who would return from the South.
Director, Publicity and Advocacy of NEF, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement, said, with threat of ejection by the South, the northern governors should be ready to accept the returnee Fulanis.
NEF said, “If communities in parts of the country insist that the lawful Fulani is unwelcome and has no right to their security, then the Forum will advise them to relocate to the North.
“Northern Governors should move urgently to prepare to receive Fulani communities being forcefully ejected.
“It is necessary to warn people who threaten law-abiding Fulani communities in all parts of Nigeria, but particularly in some parts of the South, to desist.
“The vast majority of Fulani are law-abiding and have rights to live lawfully wherever they can find means of subsistence. Like all Nigerians who can be found in every inch of Nigeria, the rights of the Fulani will not be abridged by criminals hiding behind ethnic interests to exterminate them.
“Citizens and groups who play the role of police and other law-enforcement agencies are committing crimes, and they must be stopped by leaders who are sworn to protect the law and security of all Nigerians.
“The Forum demands that the Nigeria Police must live up to its constitutional responsibility to detect crimes and arrest and prosecute criminals, whoever they are.
“States which seek to limit criminal activities are perfectly entitled to do so, but they must follow due process, and avoid exposing innocent citizens to danger at all cost.
“The Forum appeals again for all Nigerians to exercise restraint and not to play into the hands of people who desire to achieve dubious political goals by pitching citizens against each other. Persons who inflame passions by circulating videos and other materials should also desist.”
