Nasarawa airstrike masterminded from your state, Sanusi replies Ortom
A former Emir of Kano and grand-khalifa of Tijjaniyya, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has countered the allegation leveled against him by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, that he was plotting to eliminate him and tarnish his image.
In a statement on Thursday, Ortom alleged that some personalities led by Muhammadu Sanusi made some allegations against him in an attempt to set him up for attacks.
Ortom stated that he was accused of being behind the airstrike that claimed the lives of some herders in Kwateri, a community between Benue and Nasarawa states.
But in an interview with BBC Hausa, Sanusi said Fulbe Global, which is a coalition of pastoralists’ leadership, was not a murderer group but rather to protect Fulani culture, restore good morals known with pastoralists, as well as fight for their rights.
He accused Governor Ortom of stagemanaging the airstrikes against pastoralists by establishing anti-grazing laws, as well as state militia groups targeted against pastoralists.
He said, “Governor Ortom is the one who came with a legislation that outlaws Fulani from grazing and established the Benue Livestock Guards and armed them. They have killed Fulani. They confiscated their cattle. They extorted and oppressed them. This is not a mere allegation.”
Sanusi said Ortom didn’t have any constitutional right to arm any people besides the army, police or any paramilitary.
“These people were armed and they killed innocent people and impounded their cattle. The recent incident in Nasarawa was not the first of its kind. This is almost the fifth time they have shelled bombs on these people in Nasarawa. Neither the Nasarawa State governor nor the traditional rulers raised the alarm that there were terrorists in their domains,’’ he added.
Asked who should be blamed for the bombardment, he said the fighter jets belonged to Nigerian Air Force, which is under the command of the president, but the jets flew from Makurdi.
He said, “All the airstrikes that took place in Nasarawa were masterminded from Makurdi. We must hold him responsible since we know his position against the Fulani. It is only an investigation that will acquit him of the allegations. Why won’t there be an investigation to reveal who masterminded the bombardment? And who gives orders to the Air Force to always launch these airstrikes?”