See reactions as Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed justifies Herdsmen use of AK-47!

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has come under severe criticism for justifying the use of AK-47 by herdsmen especially in the South.

While speaking during the 2021 Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bauchi State chapter recently, the Governor said the herdsmen use AK-47 in defence of themselves against cattle rustlers and other forms of attacks.

He also faulted how the leaders in the South have treated Farmers-herdsmen men clashes which led to the series of ultimatums given to the herdsmen to leave the region in States like Ondo and Oyo.

The Governor said this in his address; “The Role of the Media in Promoting Peace in Nigeria”

On the herders-farmers clashes, you have seen what our colleagues in the South-West are doing and some of them in South-East. Some of us told them with all modesty and humility – you are wrong.

But the wrongest person is the Governor of Benue State, my brother and my colleague, Governor (Samuel) Ortom; he started all these. If you don’t accommodate other tribes we are also accommodating your people in Bauchi and other places.

We have so many Tiv people working and farming in Alkaleri, farming in Tafawa Balewa, farming in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi; has anyone asked them to go? We have not, because it is their constitutional rights to be there.

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We have Yoruba people in Bauchi for over 150 years, even before the birth of Nigeria. Nobody has told them to go; some of them have risen to become permanent secretaries in Bauchi, Gombe and Borno.

And now, the Fulani man is practising the tradition of trans-human, pastoralism, he has been exposed to the dangers of the forests, the animals, and now, the cattle rustlers, who carry guns, kill him and take away his commonwealth, his cows, he had no option than to carry Ak-47 and defend himself because the society and the government are not protecting him.

It is not his fault, it is the fault of the government and the people; you don’t criminalise all of them because in every tribe there are criminals. You should be very sensitive.

However, the Governor’s comments have generated some reactions on social media as many shared contrary opinions to his.