The Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago has charged Fulani community leaders in the state to work with security agencies to identify criminals within their communities.
Bago, in a trending video, also urged Fulani leaders to encourage those involved in criminal activities to abandon crime and return home, warning that continued silence over kidnappings and banditry would worsen public distrust.
Speaking in Hausa, he said, “My relatives, I will not be afraid of you; I had better tell you this. Whoever gets kidnapped in the bush and is later released will say it was Fulanis who kidnapped him.
“So, you should warn your children who are in the bush to return so that we can live peacefully. There is no way people can be kidnapped and made to pay ransom without expecting them to be angry with you.
“People are angry with Fulanis. No one is stopping you from grazing, going to school, or staying peacefully, yet you know your children are doing bad things to people. Even if they are not caught, you will eventually face the consequences.”
Bago said public frustration over insecurity is growing because some community members allegedly failed to report armed men, including those arriving from neighbouring Zamfara state.
He urged Fulani leaders to disown criminal elements in their midst and report them to security agencies rather than shielding them.
The governor also warned farmers against cultivating along government roads, noting that he had ordered an end to the practice.
