‘Please Don’t Carry AK-47’ – Bauchi Gov Recants Statement Asking Herdsmen To Carry Arms

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has backpedalled on his earlier position supporting the use of AK-17 rifles by herdsmen for “self-defence”.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported how the controversial statement earned Mohammed backlash from different quarters.

Speaking during the launch of the 2020/2021 annual livestock vaccination campaign held at the Galambi Cattle Ranch, Bauchi, on Wednesday, the governor withdrew his statement and appealed to herdsmen to be law abiding.

Mohammed said, although he had no regrets for speaking against “profiling Fulani Herdsmen as Criminals,” his previous call to herdsmen to carry AK-47 rifles was “a figurative allusion”.

He described the Fulani as humble, simple, and humane people, adding that: “What I will do, I will not say it here, but I will do everything possible to make sure I protect you and lend support to you because I know you mean well.

“Through time and history, you have been seen to be cajoled, and lampooned but you remained humane, you remained simple, you don’t show so much aggression and of course, that humility is always what we recognized and this is what a character that should always try to show.

“Please, don’t carry the AK-47 that I made a figurative allusion to. Try to make sure that you remain peaceful,” he said.

The governor said his administration was aware of the activities of Miyetti Allah and other Fulani organisations in promoting peaceful coexistence, well-being, wealth creation, and conflict mediation among pastoralists in the state and the nation in general.