The Presidency reacted to a controversy that followed the comment of its spokesman that linked the group, Miyetti Allah, with Afenifere and Ohaneze Ndigbo.
The spokesperson for President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, said that the group of herders should not be criminalized and should be seen by Nigerians such as the socio-cultural groups, Afenifere and Ohaneze Ndigbo.
According to The Cable, he said this on Channels TV on Thursday.
The groups condemned Mr Garba’s comments in their separate reactions and criticized the decision of the Buhari administration to dialog with Miyetti Allah, an organization that has many accusations of violence and crime in parts of the country.
“For such a comparison, there is no justification. It’s a bad comparison,” Ohaneze’s spokeswoman Uche Achi-Okpaga was quoted as saying Thursday by The Cable.
“Ohanaeze and Miyetti Allah can never be placed on the same pedestal. These people invade villages, kill people, and you tell us they are with Ohanaeze on the same page. There’s no justification for this.
“This is an organization described by the Global Terrorist Index as the fourth deadly terrorist organization in the world.
“These people are just talking to criminals. We’re in an unlawful state.”
Yinka Odumakin, spokesperson of Afenifere, as also described the comparison as “most unfair and very unfortunate.”
“We’re surprised that the spokesman spoke like someone under the influence of drugs. We’re not killing in Afenifere, we’re not abducting people,” he said.
“How can you compare us with a group of people killed in Enugu, Benue, Ogun and other states?”
In its response Friday, the Presidency said “Miyetti Allah is a legal stakeholder in our nation and should be respected like any other trade, community, ethnic organization, or interest group.”
It said the government would continue to engage with various groups, including the Miyetti Allah, as necessary.
“Miyetti Allah’s activities do not only benefit selected ethnicities or Muslims, but all of them. Agriculture was the main source of Nigerian wealth long before petroleum became the core of the Nigerian economy. Cattle, hides and skin were a significant part of Nigerian exports, “said Mr Garba’s statement.
It is right to say that every group in Nigeria and every country has criminals. As in the southern part of the country, there are criminals among the northern population. Blaming is not good for generalizing. The government will engage each stakeholder and create dialog between different groups and among them.
Read the full statement below:
UNDER PRESIDENT BUHARI, DIALOGUE REMAINS AN IMPORTANT TOOL
We are pleased that Afenifere and Ohaneze Ndigbo found our insights worthy of attention even when they disagreed with our view that they, as socio-cultural associations, represent same interests as Miyetti Allah, an association of Fulani herders.
The point both socio-cultural groups missed, however, by insisting that government should not to talk to Miyetti Allah is the need to address and engage Nigeria’s ethnic, religious, cultural and economic plurality that was evident when General Yakubu Gowon introduced National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. The need to engage all groups of Nigeria is as much relevant today as it was then.
The Presidency’s position is that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is equipped to address these issues. The security challenges faced by Nigeria today make the task of addressing the issues very urgent.
Miyetti Allah, like any other trade, community, ethnic organization or interest group is a legal stake holder in our nation and should be respected. We maintain that the government needs to engage all stakeholders and seek partnership in building our country.
The activities of Miyetti Allah do not benefit selected ethnicities or Muslims only, but everyone. Long before petroleum became the core of Nigerian economy, agriculture was the main source of Nigerian wealth. Cattle, hides and skin were a major part of Nigerian export.
It is right to state that there are criminals among every group in Nigeria and in every country. There are criminals among the northern population as there are in the southern part of the country. It is not good to generalise blames. The government will engage each stakeholder and create dialogue between, and among, different groups.
We note the statement by Ohaneze this morning, who expressed concern about an allegation that government gave N100 billion to Miyetti Allah for dubious reasons. As I said on Channels TV, it is an absolute falsehood. The issue of money was never raised at any of the meetings between the representatives of government and Miyetti Allah. If they had raised it, this government would have dismissed them as yet another dubious group, like the many making claims to be representing our trusting people but serving their own interests.
We choose again to speak on this because it is dangerous for the public to ignore rumours aimed at inciting people against each other or against the government. The people spreading such rumours should be helped to see the truth and participate in nation building, and not become crisis messengers.
As the President has stated time and again, transparency and dialogue are essential for public enlightenment and nation building.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
May 10, 2019
