Northern Elders Forum, has called on Fulani herders living in the southern part of Nigeria to resist the temptation to take laws into their own hands.
The group stated this on Tuesday in response to alleged eviction threats and attacks on Fulani herders in some states in the South.
NEF, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by its Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors to protect law-abiding members of Fulani communities.
The statement read in part, “Northern Elders Forum is deeply worried by reports of ejections under threats and attacks on Fulani herders, families and communities in some states of the South.
“The Forum has been receiving these reports since the night of Sunday, January 31, and had taken the responsible step by drawing the attention of authorities to the dangers, which these attacks represent for all Nigerians.
“We have also advised law-abiding Fulani communities to seek protection where it is available, and have appealed to other Fulani to resist the temptation to take the law into their own hands.
“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.”
