Panic appears to have set in after the Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, on Wednesday launched its 1,144-man Nomad Vigilante Group to assist in combating the escalating security challenges in Nasarawa State.
On social media, it has led to calls for other ethnic and sectarian groups across Nigeria to set up their own vigilantes, if the dreaded Miyetti Allah, often accused by the Benue State government and others within the north-central geopolitical zone of been behind killings and violence, can be permitted to do it in Nasarawa, a contiguous state to the nation’s seat of power.
Like others, a public commentator, Polycarp Gbaja, wrote: “Here comes the tribal army…The same Miyetti Allah that have openly threatened and carried out attacks in Benue, Plateau and other states?!
“Who permitted/authorised them to set up a Vigilante Outfit, right next to the same states?
“Why is there a deafening silence from the surrounding states, leaders, institutions and organisations, and especially State and National legislatures from across the country?
Is it not clear to the rest of Nigeria, what this implies, in retrospect? What a country!”
Gbaja got many incendiary responses, which do not bear repeating here, but one mild, scary response reads: “This is a monumental disaster. Mutfwang should wise up to set up his own State Police in the similitude of Amotekun, or else the baboon and the monkey will begin to shower in blood.
“By the way, is it not state governments that are required by law to set outfits like this up? Why are sectarian groups now doing it.
“I think I will begin to push for the setting up of a quasi-military group of IPC. If we (350 other ethnic groups) do the same, will the Fulani group survive in Nigeria? The presently angry, betrayed Hausa group will obliterate them, not to mention the others who see them as a cancerous growth.
“It is called BoT: Balance of Terror!”
One other netizen asked: “So, it is good for Miyetti Allah and it is not for IPOB? I hope south-easter governors are watching”
In the Nasarawa capital, Lafia, on Wednesday, the Miyetti Allah president, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, unveiled the vigilante outfit, according to media reports.
He said the vigilante group will work with security agencies to fight banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in the state.
Bodejo said the quasi-security outfit would fish out criminal elements among cattle herders in the community and reduce the allegation on those who are treated unjustly for crimes not committed as a result of the bad eggs.
“The nomad vigilante group is not merely an initiative; it is a manifestation of our shared commitment to economic, job creation, inclusivity, and the relentless fight against banditry, cattle rustling, hunger and poverty.
“The group will serve as a proactive stance against these threats by facilitating our farmers and herders and other communities in Nasarawa and the country as a whole from the shadows of insecurity,” he explained.
He said members of the new security team were carefully selected, screened and profiled.
He charged the team not to.do anything that would further dent the image of the association and Fulani in general.
“To all nomad vigilante groups, this is a clarion call to unity of purpose. Let us forge alliances with relevant security agencies to fish out criminal elements among communities,” he urged.
The NigerianArmy was representedat the occasion by the commandant 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi, Lt. Col. Inuwa Bala; state commissioner of police, Umar Shehu Nadada, represented by the assistant commissioner of police (Operations), Abdulaziz Aliyu. Both men called for collaborative efforts to tackle insecurity.
Last November, the Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, held a meeting with the leadership of the group in Karu local government area of the state.
Sule solicited their support to fight kidnapping , banditry and other organised crimes in the state.
As reported then, Sule said the support of the organisation and other Fulani groups was needed because criminal activities are usually blamed on Fulani people.
He said most of the incidents were perpetrated by foreigners who normally come in to create havoc leaving tales of death and destruction in their wake.
The governor stated that the body’s vigilante unit could assist the security agencies in tracking and ending the invasion of the state as well as the country by the strangers who always masquerade as herders.
His words: “Every time there is kidnapping, the incident is mostly blamed on the Fulani. That is why I deemed it necessary to stop here and speak to Fulani leaders on the need to ensure strangers do not come into our state to perpetrate criminal activities.
“The Fulani community in Nasarawa State is peace-loving, as such we should do everything possible to ensure that strange elements do not come into our state to carry out criminal activities. It‘s on record that the Fulani community operates a vigilante group that is assisting the government in the area of peace and security.”