Defence Minister ‘Justifies’ Fulani Herdsmen Killings, Blames Farmers, State Govts

Mansur Dan-Ali, Nigeria’s Defence Minister, has blamed Fulani herdsmen Killings on farmers and state governments who allegedly blocked grazing routes and enacted anti-open grazing laws respectively.

Speaking after a meeting of security chiefs with President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, Dan-Ali alluded that the herders were provoked into killing innocent citizens because their grazing routes were blocked.

“Look at this issue (killings in Benue and Taraba), what is the remote causes of this farmers crisis. Since the nation’s Independence, we know there used to be a route whereby the cattle rearers take because they are all over the nation. You go to Bayelsa, Ogun, you will see them. If those routes are blocked what do you expect will happen?,” he told State House correspondents.

“These people are Nigerians. Is just like one going to block shoreline, does that make sense to you? These are the remote causes of the crisis. But the immediate cause is the grazing law. These people are Nigerians and we must learn to live together with each other. Communities and other people must learn how to accept foreigners within their enclave. Finish!”

Asked if he was justifying the herdsmen attacks, Dan-Ali said:

“You are going away from what I came here to do. However, this is internal security, I can provide some answers. I have told you that the remote cause is part of the grazing law. Since independence, there are clear routes where these people pass.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government said at the meeting that it will commence the monitoring of social media accounts of high profile Nigerians.

This, the government said, would enable it to curb the spate of hate speeches being made by high-flying citizens.