Killer Fulani Herdsmen Are Not Terrorists, IPOB Are Terrorists - Garba Shehu

Senior special assistant to President Mohammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has declared that killer Fulani Herdsmen are only a criminal gang but not a terrorist group.  

Mr Shehu made the declaration yesterday, Thursday September 21, 2017 during a programme on a national television. 

Recall that there have been clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers across the country. Hundreds have died in the hands of Fulani herdsmen following clashes between them and local farmers in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Delta, Ekiti, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Ondo, Edo state among others. 

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But the senior aide to President Buhari Thurday said during a programme on Channels, that the federal government did not declare herdsmen as terrorists because they are 'only criminal gangs'. Security agencies are dealing with them, according to the law, he quickly added.

"Shehu said "There is a different between criminal gang, criminal activity and terrorist activity; and, I think from the definition we are getting, yes, Fulani herdsmen are a criminal gang and they are being dealt with according to the law of the country.

"But IPOB, like Boko Haram, has a territory they have carved out for themselves, as a sovereign state of their own. They have shown the willingness to invade other states. They have raised concerns in neighbouring Kogi and Benue states. They have said they are interested in taking over Bayelsa and Rivers states...IPOB is a small group of people running.

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A Federal High Court in Abuja had on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 granted Federal government's prayer and granted an interlocutory injunction to outlaw the group as a terrorist organisation.