VANGUARD NEWS

LEADERSHIP Fulani community in Delta State, Monday, said their people were not responsible for the threat letter purportedly issued by some Fulani Jihadists to attack Asaba and Agbor over Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s support for the ban on open grazing of cattles in the Southern part of Nigeria.

Some Fulani Jihadists had on Sunday issued 72 hours ultimatum to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to withdraw his support for the ban on open grazing or risk Asaba and Agbor being attacked by them.

The Fulani leaders who addressed newsmen in Asaba, said they have been very scared since the letter went into circulation on Sunday, adding that they have been living in peace with their host.

Those who spoke on behalf of the Fulani leaders include; Muktar Usman, Musa Mohammed, Haruna Abubakar, Useni Haruna among others.

The Sariki Delta, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, said they have been in Delta for over 40 years, maintaining that they knew nothing about the publication.

Mohammed said: “This is our home and we cannot create problems for the state because this is where we earn a living. Government should bring those people who did that publication.

“We are very peace-loving and Delta has been good to us”.

On his part, Mr. Muktar Usman who is also serving in the Delta State Government as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Okowa on Special Duties,  expressed disappointment in the anonymous publication.

Saying that fear of being attacked by their host communities heightened since Sunday, Usman said; “we are not part and parcel of that nonsense, and we condemn this act in all ramifications. We are Nigerians and we have a good understanding with our host communities. We are at peace with our host communities.

“We are calling on the state government and security agencies to fish out those behind it. We are more accepted in Delta than in our own states of origin. I want to encourage our people to remain peace loving and not create unnecessary tension.

“Since yesterday (Sunday) all Fulanis were panicking, they were expecting that the host community can attack them at any time, of which they do not know what is going”.

Alhaji Haruna Abubakar, Useni Haruna and others who also spoke in the same vein, said they have no reason to attack their host.