Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has called on Fulani community leaders to collaborate with security agencies to identify and flush out criminal elements within their ranks.
In a viral video where he spoke in Hausa, the Governor urged Fulani leaders to encourage those involved in banditry and kidnapping to repent and return home, warning that continued silence would further damage the reputation of the Fulani people.
“My relatives, I will not be afraid to tell you the truth,” the Governor said. “Whenever a victim is kidnapped and eventually released, they almost always report that their captors were Fulani. You must warn your children in the bush to return so we can live in peace. It is impossible for people to be kidnapped and forced to pay ransom without them becoming resentful toward you.”
Governor Bago noted that public frustration is reaching a breaking point because some community members allegedly shield armed men, including those migrating from neighboring Zamfara State.
“People are angry. No one is stopping you from grazing, going to school, or living peacefully, yet you know your children are committing atrocities against others. Even if they are not caught immediately, you will eventually face the consequences of these actions,” he warned.
### New Directives on Farming and Grazing
In a move to resolve persistent farmer-herder tensions, the Governor issued a stern warning to farmers against cultivating crops along government highways.
“I have given an order: if any farmer plants crops between the main road and the power poles—an area where farming is prohibited—the animals are free to eat those crops, and the farmer should be arrested,” Bago declared. “You have your designated lands; planting close to the main road is an invitation for trouble.”
Warning Against Extremism and Divisive Preaching
The Governor also addressed security and religious harmony, cautioning vigilante groups against taking the law into their own hands. He advised them to focus on border security rather than exceeding their mandates.
Furthermore, Bago directed traditional rulers to strictly regulate religious activities to prevent the spread of extremist ideologies. He specifically referenced the “Lakurawa” group, accusing them of using religion to incite division.
“His Royal Highness, I give you the authority: whoever preaches to divide Muslims, or to create tension between Muslims and Christians, should be arrested and imprisoned,” the Governor told the Emir.
He criticized extremist preachers who deviate from established Islamic foundations, such as the teachings of Shehu Usman Danfodio. “Which books have they read, and where did they study? Even if they come to the Friday (Jum’at) mosque to preach such divisiveness, they must be arrested,” he concluded.
