Insecurity: How freed kidnap victim exposed his abductors, said “Ijaw gunmen, not Fulani herdsmen kidnapped us”

By Kemi Kasumu

More truths are further unveiling about who truly are elements behind insecurity in Nigeria with unfolding events showing that, against impression that just one tribe of the country is behind the killings, kidnapping, armed banditry and robbery incidents in the country, elements of Southern Nigerian zones are actually responsible.

This came in revellations in recent times which neutralised claims by some ethnic groups mainly of Southern Nigeria, any time there was criminal occurence in their respective areas, pushing the blame on Fulani herdsmen thereby creating tension in the land and putting the entirety of a single tribe in the country at risk.

The DEFENDER, through some of its editorial comments in the past, had insistently warned that it was not possible that elements from only Fulani tribe were responsible for banditry, kidnapping and other criminalities perpetrated in parts of the country as some “ethnic jingoists and religious bigots” wanted their readers or listeners to believe.

It peaked with the killing by gunmen, in an Ore, Ondo State area known to be criminal territory of Niger Delta militants, of daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Afenifere Leader, Mrs Funke Olakunrin, which was immediately tagged on Fulani herdsmen by spokesman of the ethnic group, Yinka Odumakin but later became known as armed a robbery case, according to a police report.

Although, despite admitting his goof, Odumakin is yet to apologise for misleading the nation in a way capable of causing cross-ethnic conflict thereby further heating up the polity and compounding existing “manufactured” security situation.

Many more of similar claims against the Fulani herdsmen have turned out to be force.  Nevertheless, each Nigerian tribe, including Hausa/Fulani, Tiv, Beron, Yoruba, Igbo, IjawIItsekiri, Ijaw, has its own share of criminal inventory in the country.

A respondent, who spoke to The DEFENDER under condition of anonymity, said: “It is not as if I am backing other tribe against my tribe, but, let the truth be said my brother, and you are a Journalist, don’t hide what I want to tell Nigerians through you now because if you do, you betray the nation, we Yoruba and other tribes of Southern Nigeria have a lot of hyoicrisies that we do which inhibit our chances of getting to our deserved position in the country.

“Tell me, how possible could it be that somebody would come all the way from the North and he will come here, take over our farmland, kill our people, kidnap them for ransom? Who show them the pathway in the bushes? Who give them confidence on our roads where they rob? Who offers them supporting hands if not our own tribesmen and women?

“That is by the way. Truth is, crimes committed in Southern Nigeria are committed largely by Southerners against themselves. The earlier we repent and seek firgivess from God the better. All the criminalities that some Benin boys, Niger Delta militants, touts and cultists of Lagos, Ondo, Ogun were known for, when we blame Fulani herdsmen for crimes in these areas, it means those Southern criminals had quitted crimes and have now handed over to Fulani herdsmen. Is that so? You need to think it more profoundly,” he said.

The most recent of these neutralising revelations is from son of the Chief Imam of Ode-Omi, Ogun State, Abdulazeez Sanni, who was abducted last Sunday and has been reportedly freed alongside two others by his abductors.

Sanni who was set free along with two others – Adams Bamidele, an accountant, and Jelili Adams, a tailor, described the trio’s experience in the hands of the abductors as “pathetic.”

According to a Punch report, Abdulazeez Sanni declared that they were abducted (not by Fulani herdsmen but) by Ijaw men from the Niger Delta part of Nigeria.

Sanni was reportedly abducted alongside Jelil and Bamidele Adams on the eve of the Eid-el-Kabir at Ode-Omi, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun Waterside.

He spoke with newsmen on Friday evening at the Ogun State Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, shortly after he was reportedly rescued from his abductors.

He said, “We were preparing for Ileya festival, unfortunately, some gunmen came into the house and started shooting until I was kidnapped. So, since that Sunday I was in the creek.

“I had been in their den since Sunday until I was released today. We were fed with what I can call “feselu” in Ijebuland; a mixture of water and garri not properly cooked.

“I don’t understand their language, but from what they are saying, they should be from Niger Delta. They are Ijaw people.”

Asked whether they paid ransom, he said, “We did not pay a ransom. They threatened us but, we thank God and Ogun State Government for the swift response. They demanded N50m but, Alhamdulillah (thank God) we are save.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Bashir Makama, told newsmen that the police made frantic efforts to rescue the victims.

He said a suspect was arrested with a pistol in the process of rescuing the victims.

When asked about the police speedboat the kidnappers escaped in, the CP said, “We will get our speedboat back when we want. We did not want to lose the victims.”