*I’m surprised newsaper that interviewed me didn’t misquote me – Leader
*Allowing deliberate fake news against Fulani in Nigeria dangerous – Respondents
“No doubt I was asked by the Sun Newspaper to react on the formation of Amotekun and my response was that every ethnic group has the inalienable right to defend itself against any aggression, including the Fulbe. That Fulbe will pursue their legitimate business anywhere in Nigeria as the country is as much their inheritance as it is of other groups.”
A word of caution has gone to the government of Nigeria against leaving agents, who choose the Fulani as targets of their deliberate fake news, to continue to operate without being brought to book.
This came from respondents as National President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, debunked a statement in which it was mischievously reported to have said that Nigeria belonged to the Fulani alone.
A source, who became infuriated at knowing that the Miyetti Allah did not actually say so, sparked saying, “There is danger ahead of us, if government of this country does not stop these senseless, anti-peace activities by which unscrupulous elements from a section of the country choose to distort or carry fake news against the Fulani of Nigeria.”
The Miyetti Allah, a social, economic and cultural organisation for the Fulani people, disclosed in a statement on Sunday its surprise that even the newspaper that interviewed his leader, Badejo, did not publish such fake news about him but that it went viral on the social media.
Bodejo was quoted to have said, “Nigeria is a Fulbe country and the Fulbe can enter anywhere without permission. And the Fulbe are also raising 100,000 militiamen to enforce their will on every community in this country.”
However, the Miyetti Allah described the claim as a blatantly fabricated lie concocted to portray the group in a bad light and smear the image of Fulani people.
“I want to state clearly and unequivocally that this news report is a blatant fabricated lie. It is actually the enemies of the Fulbe people that are at it again, as always, concocting such insidious and malicious falsehood against our people for their diabolical agenda against the Nigerian state.
“No doubt I was asked by the Sun Newspaper to react on the formation of Amotekun and my response was that every ethnic group has the inalienable right to defend itself against any aggression, including the Fulbe. That Fulbe will pursue their legitimate business anywhere in Nigeria as the country is as much their inheritance as it is of other groups.
“I further said the Fulbe will also form their vigilante groups if necessary to ward off any threat against our people and against the incessant cattle rustlings that our people have been suffering for decades without respite from government and other communities.
“For example, more than 804 Fulbe were murdered in cold blood in June 2017 and more than 10,000 of their cattle killed by Mambila militias in Taraba State, the continuous killing of our people and stealing and rustling their cattle in Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Benue, Zamfara with no arrest against the perpetrators,” Bodejo said.
“This is essentially what l said to the Sun Newspaper. But I am surprised that I did not see this report on the media I spoke to but it went distortedly viral on some other social media. Miyetti Allah refutes this news report and condemns the inherent mischief by the enemies of the Fulbe for this diabolical act.
“With or without Miyetti Allah, the Fulbe have the ability, capacity and right to defend themselves in Nigeria and indeed anywhere. Let those who wish this our great country ill to look for other means but leave the Fulbe alone. We have enough of our problems without adding salt to injury.”
The DEFENDER reports the unethical practice by which media practitioners interview a target only for the purpose of deliberately slanting or distorting his statement, and still credit the distorted report to his person, is already making journalism unpopular and unattractive, not only in Nigeria but globally.
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) had weekend reacted to the purported statement saying it was either a distortion or fake news against the Miyetti Allah.
The Professor Ishaq Akintola-led Islamic rights group therefore called on the Fulani group to clarify what it said, if he said anything at all.
