Date: 2018-01-23

A Fulani group, Fulani Ilorin Emirates Youths Vanguard has protested what it termed "hasty generalisation of Fulanis as terrorists and as a criminally minded ethnic group in Nigeria."

The Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government chapter, in a statement issued by its Chairman Usman Garba and Public Relations Officer, Oorelope Folarin and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti expressed concern over an alleged blanket tagging of all Fulanis as mindless killers.

It also claimed that the media as well as members of the public had little or no knowledge about Cattle Rearing in Nigeria.

They claimed to have been part and parcel of Yoruba community, and Ekiti, having been living there well over 50 yesrs.

"This is our home because many of us and even our fathers were born here. So, we have no reason to cause trouble for anybody because, where to live is not where to destroy", they said.

They group called on the media to always crosscheck their facts on any issue involving their members, farmers or their host communities before publishing same.

"It is very sad and most unfortunate that each time there was violent clash between herders and farmers, the media always look in the direction of Fulani as culprits.What the media fails to recognize is that there are number of tribes involved in this business.

"Among the tribes are: Hausa, Fulani, Bororo, and Bakolo. Others are Kaje and Tivs from the Northern part of the country," the statement read in part.

"We are therefore calling on government as well as security agencies to conduct full investigation into renewed hostilities between farmers and herders in the State with a view to apprehending the culprits", it added.

They, however pledged to cooperate with the security agents in the task.