Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on National Assembly and National Human Rights Commission to probe what it described as the massacre of Fulani people in Kadarko and Rugar Ardo Sodangi settlements in Keana Local Government, Nasarawa State on 2nd April, 2014.
In a statement today, the Director of the Muslim Rights Concern,
Professor Ishaq Akintola recalled how heavily armed men of the Nigerian Army allegedly drove in a convoy of ten Hilux vans on 2nd April, 2014 to Kadarko and Rugar Ardo Sodangi settlements of Keana Local Government, Nasarawa State and allegedly descended on a small group of mourners of Fulani descent.
“They shot all of them. Fifteen (15) people of Fulani extraction lay dead at the end of the operation. Three (3) were badly injured.”
Professor Akintola noted that this tragic scenario has constituted the emerging pattern in several parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly in Plateau, Benue and Adamawa states.
He strongly condemned what he called “the callous, criminal and barbaric act of those men in army uniform who massacred innocent Fulanis. We affirm that herdsmen have the right to graze their cattle. It is the duty of the state and Federal Governments to ensure that grazing grounds are provided where farmlands will not be in danger of being destroyed.
“This has been the practice for decades and we are surprised that it is now becoming an issue.
“We call on the defence committees in the National Assembly to investigate the massacre of the innocent Fulani people of Keana Local Government. We remind the Federal Government that it is its duty to provide protection for all Nigerians, including Fulani herdsmen throughout the federation.”
He also called on the National Human Rights Commission to investigate “this atrocity and come up with its report. Finally, we remind Nigerians that a nation seeking peace cannot afford to target any ethnic group for profiling.
We should be guided by the tragedy in Rwanda.”
