Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, the National President of the Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah, has strongly condemned the calling of herdsmen criminals.

He said that the bad name calling was sponsored by some politicians and enemies of the Fulani to blackmail and cause unnecessary chaos in the country, The Nation reported this.

Bodejo, while speaking in a  function in Bauchi state, said all forms of criminal activities such as armed robbery and kidnapping were used to paint the ethnic group in a bad light. He also said that the continued clashes between farmers and herders are age-long and that they are only now politicized.

The president of the association said the two groups have always found traditional ways to resolve their issues. “You will see someone taking pictures from accident scenes and before you know, he would post them on social media, claiming herdsmen are responsible for the killings. It’s unfortunate,” he said.

He said that herders do not carry arms around as made known in the media except the sticks they are popularly known for. He also commented on federal government’s Ruga settlement, making a case for the return of the policy.

The Miyetti Allah’s president said that in as much the government through various ways help businesses across the country, then herders’ business should not be any different. “Let the federal government bring back the grazing reserves across the country. We have national and international cattle routes across the country, which have been taken away by modern roads. These are the rights of Fulani as citizens... “If government can disburse billions of naira as loans to petty traders, who do personal businesses across the country, then they (governments) should also look at what they can do to help herders in their cattle-rearing business. It is a business that government at all levels must support them to do at ease.”

Bodeji also said that the government has been insensitive to the plight of herders across the country, despite their contribution to the country’s economy. “The Nigerian government has been insensitive to the plight of herdsmen across the country, despite contributing immensely to the nation’s economy through their business."