Sultan: Real herdsmen move with sticks — not guns

Saad Abubakar, sultan of Sokoto, says real herdsmen move with their cows and sticks, not guns.

In his Eid-el Fitr message, the monarch urged the federal government to probe the sources of weapons used by herdsmen attacking Nigerian communities.

“Real herdsmen do not carry guns; they only move with their cows and sticks.

“There could be bad eggs among the Fulani, but those carrying arms and perpetrating heinous killings are not herdsmen.

“Those carrying arms are criminals and should be treated as such.

“Government should probe the sources of these weapons and take appropriate action so as to minimise these attacks.”

Abubakar commended government’s measures aimed at combating insurgency in the north-east, and cautioned against complacency as the problem was not over.

The sultan urged Nigerians to complement the efforts of the security agencies towards securing the country.

He praised efforts of the federal and Sokoto state governments to restore the “lost glory” of the educational and agricultural sectors, and called on Nigerians to support such efforts.

The sultan urged Muslims to reflect on, and uphold the virtues of the Ramadan fast that included patience, perseverance and brotherliness.