The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has given a directive to all Fulani herdsmen in the southern part of the country to leave and return to the north if their safety was no longer guaranteed.

According to reports from DAILY TRUST, the Chairman of the NEF, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, made this known as he addressed a joint press conference in the nation’s capital yesterday. He also said that the NEF would keep on taking issues up, as it relates to the security and safety of citizens of northern extraction in the southern part of the country.

Abdullahi said that well meaning Nigerians and other stakeholders must do everything within their power to ensure that sensitive matters which could result in the breakdown of law and order in the country are not escalated.

Ango Abdullahi further said that herdsmen have been known to co-exist peacefully with their host communities for many years.

“Now, certainly we are worried about their safety, like we are worried about the safety of every Nigerian who decided to live wherever they want to.

“But then, if there is no certainty that their safety is guaranteed by the authorities that are immediately around them or by the authorities that have the responsibility for the overall security of all Nigerians wherever they reside, we are certainly worried about their well-being and I think particular attention should be paid to what is happening on hour-to-hour, day-to-day basis.

“And if it is indeed, true that their safety is not guaranteed in the places where they are residing, we would rather have them back into areas where their safety is guaranteed, and this is coming back as much as possible to the North,” he said.

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