Governor Kashim Shettima: warns against ethnicising crimes

Governors of 19 Northern States have risen from their meeting in Kaduna , and cautioned Nigerians against labelling herdsmen attackers as Fulani people.

The Governors who met behind closed doors said, as much as they condemn the recent attacks in Enugu and other parts of the country, they condemned labelling the criminals as Fulani people.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting at the Kaduna Government House Friday evening, Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima said, it is an insult to label criminals as Fulani.

“We want to unequivocally condemn the recent killings in Enugu and other parts of the country. But we equally condemn the politicisation or permit me, the ‘ethinicisation’ of the whole crisis. It goes beyond Fulani. If anything happens, they say Fulani herdsmen; to me it is an insult.

“Kidnapping in this country originated in the South-east, were they called Igbo kidnappers?

“We have a great national challenge and we want to call on all and sundry to come and let us solve our common challenges as a people. Because the blood of paternity that binds us together supersedes whatever differences that might divide us,” he stressed.

While he condemned the Agatu killings, the NSGF Chairman, charged the media to avoid sensationalism and harp on issues that bind Nigerians together.

On the legacies of the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Governor Shettima said they were doing everything possible to revive the New Nigerian Newspapers and Arewa Textile Limited.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, the NSGF Chairman confirmed that Boko Haram insurgents that have been terrorising the North-east in the last five years have been degraded.

He was however quick to note that, there are still pockets of bombings in the North-east which has been ravaged by the insurgency for more than five years.

The Governor also disclosed that, following their recent visit to the Islamic Development Bank, the bank has resolved to rebuild Northern Nigeria.

With this development, the Governor is calling for the rebuild of destroyed communities as well as total rehabilitation of affected persons who are currently seeking refuge at different camps across the country.

*Culled from The Nation: The Nation