You are making matters worse if you only subscribe any murder and any killing to Fulani or Islam- Sultan
Wed Sep 28, 2016 06:27:pm National
2.5K By Buchi Obichie
On Tuesday at the opening ceremony of a 3-day national inter-faith
dialogue meeting organised by the Institute of Peace and Conflict
Resolution and International Dialogue Centre, based in Vienna, Austria,
in collaboration with the Interfaith Media Centre, the Sultan of Sokoto
and President-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji
Sa'ad Abubakar III, said any herdsman caught in the act of killing
innocent citizens should be treated "as a terrorist because Fulani
herdsmen do not carry AK 47 rifles but go with sticks and cattle."
Whilst condemning the activities of violent herdsmen, the Sultan also said that linking any murderous act or killing to Fulani or Islam, will be "making matters worse because Fulani (people) have (also) been killed."
He said, "The Fulani herdsmen, we all know since we were small children, are not the same ones we see carrying AK 47 (rifles) and killing people because people go around and kill innocent villagers in their houses and we don't see cattle. The Fulani we see in our villages, markets and other places, we only see them with sticks and cattle; we don't see them with AK 47.
"The herdsmen you see on the pages of newspapers and pictures on televisions are not Nigerians; they are placed there to depict a particular scene. The Fulani man that you see carrying AK 47 killing people, instead of carrying sticks and cattle, treat him as a terrorist and not as a herdsman.
"The Government must wake up to its responsibility and stem this tide of incessant killing of innocent people in their villages. Fulani (people) have been killed, I know that. Reports have been made in the past couple of years but at the same time too, those who also take revenge do it disproportionately. Whether it is right or wrong, it does not matter.
"It is wrong to take any single life unjustly. For us Muslims, we know that; therefore, we will never agree with the killings of innocent people. That innocent person can be anybody. It can be a Hausa man, a Fulani man, a Yoruba man, an Ibo man, whatever that person is. That is why we should all come together, identify the criminals amongst us and fish them out. That is the only way we can all have peace."
"But if you only subscribe any murder and any killing to Fulani or Islam, you are not making matters any better. You are making matters worse, we will always preach that. We do not subscribe to killing innocent people, we will never agree with the killing of innocent people, whatever tribe the person might be.
"There are so many criminals amongst us, whether they are Fulani or other tribes, we must fish those people out. That is the only way we can have peace, but if you only subscribe any killing to Fulani or Islam, you are not making matters any better, you are only making matters worse."
Also speaking at the event, the Catholic Bishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, said the use of military force by the Federal Government would not solve the problems posed by Boko Haram or Niger Delta Avengers.
According to the Catholic Ckeric, since using force to solve a problem had never worked in any part of the world, the Government should dialogue with these groups to restore peace in the country.
Whilst condemning the activities of violent herdsmen, the Sultan also said that linking any murderous act or killing to Fulani or Islam, will be "making matters worse because Fulani (people) have (also) been killed."
He said, "The Fulani herdsmen, we all know since we were small children, are not the same ones we see carrying AK 47 (rifles) and killing people because people go around and kill innocent villagers in their houses and we don't see cattle. The Fulani we see in our villages, markets and other places, we only see them with sticks and cattle; we don't see them with AK 47.
"The herdsmen you see on the pages of newspapers and pictures on televisions are not Nigerians; they are placed there to depict a particular scene. The Fulani man that you see carrying AK 47 killing people, instead of carrying sticks and cattle, treat him as a terrorist and not as a herdsman.
"The Government must wake up to its responsibility and stem this tide of incessant killing of innocent people in their villages. Fulani (people) have been killed, I know that. Reports have been made in the past couple of years but at the same time too, those who also take revenge do it disproportionately. Whether it is right or wrong, it does not matter.
"It is wrong to take any single life unjustly. For us Muslims, we know that; therefore, we will never agree with the killings of innocent people. That innocent person can be anybody. It can be a Hausa man, a Fulani man, a Yoruba man, an Ibo man, whatever that person is. That is why we should all come together, identify the criminals amongst us and fish them out. That is the only way we can all have peace."
"But if you only subscribe any murder and any killing to Fulani or Islam, you are not making matters any better. You are making matters worse, we will always preach that. We do not subscribe to killing innocent people, we will never agree with the killing of innocent people, whatever tribe the person might be.
"There are so many criminals amongst us, whether they are Fulani or other tribes, we must fish those people out. That is the only way we can have peace, but if you only subscribe any killing to Fulani or Islam, you are not making matters any better, you are only making matters worse."
Also speaking at the event, the Catholic Bishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, said the use of military force by the Federal Government would not solve the problems posed by Boko Haram or Niger Delta Avengers.
According to the Catholic Ckeric, since using force to solve a problem had never worked in any part of the world, the Government should dialogue with these groups to restore peace in the country.
Related News
Leave a comment...