Fulani youth leader: We belong in Plateau, won’t be forced out

A prominent Fulani youth leader in Plateau State, Hamisu Garba, has declared that no amount of intimidation or campaign of vilification will succeed in forcing Fulani people out of the state, insisting they are equally citizens of Plateau under the Nigerian Constitution.

In an interview, Garba expressed deep concern over what he described as a persistent narrative and effort by some individuals to portray Fulani residents as outsiders and criminals, thereby inciting hatred and division in communities across the state.

Garba emphasized that many Fulani families, including his own, were born, raised, and have lived their entire lives in Plateau State.

He cited the constitutional provision that allows Nigerians to claim a state of origin where they were born and have lived, noting that his indigene certificate was duly signed by his district head and local government chairman.

“I, like many other Fulani people, am also part of Plateau State. Any attempt to intimidate, frustrate, and chase us out will not work,” Garba said.

“My parents were born here, I was born here, all my siblings were born and raised here. I attended primary, secondary, and university here. The only time I left was for my NYSC in Enugu.”

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The youth leader decried what he described as growing ethnic profiling and stigmatization of Fulani communities, particularly in the wake of increased insecurity in the region.

“Why are some people always profiling us as criminals and troublemakers?” he asked. “Yes, I agree there are criminal elements among our people, but there are also Mwaghavul, Berom, Tarok, Ngas, Irigwe, and Mupun criminals. Why is the focus only on Fulani?”

Garba pointed to investigations which, according to him, revealed that some criminal activities attributed to Fulani herders involved collaborators from other ethnic groups in the state.

He alleged that some community members had been recruited and paid as little as N20,000 to provide intelligence to armed attackers.

“These attackers are not exclusively Fulani. There are natives among them too. So why is all the blame on us?” he questioned.

He recalled a time of peaceful coexistence between Fulani and indigenous communities in Plateau, marked by intercommunal friendships, mutual celebrations, and even intermarriages.

“I grew up playing football with neighbours, celebrating Christmas with them, and they celebrated Sallah with us. Our families intermarried. We all lived in peace. So when did everything change?” he wondered.

Reaffirming the Fulani community’s commitment to peace, Garba noted that Fulani youth leaders have been actively sensitizing their people on peaceful coexistence and respect for other ethnic groups. He called on other ethnic nationalities in the state to do the same instead of demonizing Fulani residents.

“No one can chase us out of Plateau. We are citizens here, and we deserve to live in peace like everyone else. We just want to be left alone and not treated as second-class citizens or collective criminals,” he stated.

Garba’s remarks come amid growing ethnic tensions in parts of Plateau, a state that has witnessed waves of communal violence over the years, often along ethno-religious lines.

His message underscores the urgent need for dialogue, understanding, and unity among all ethnic groups in the state.