Bauchi gov lambasts southern colleagues, Ortom, says herders’ AK-47 for defence
Published February 12, 2021
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed
Armstrong Bakam , Bauchi
The Bauchi State Governor , Bala Mohammed, has said Fulani herders carry AK -47 for self -defence because they are being attacked by cattle rustlers .
He slammed his counterpart in Benue State , Samuel Ortom , over his handling of the farmer- herder clashes which had led to loss of lives.

Mohammed spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2021 Press Week of the Correspondents ’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists , Bauchi State Council on Thursday at the Command Guest House .
The governor in his keynote address on the theme , ‘ The Role of the Media in Promoting Peace in Nigeria, ’ commended journalists in the state for their accurate and balanced reporting and for promoting peace in Nigeria .
He faulted the notice to quit given to Fulani herders in some southern states, particularly Ondo , pointing out that the moves of the “ southern governors are wrong. ”
Mohammed said, “ On the herders-farmers clashes , you have seen what our colleagues in the South – West are doing and some of them in South -East . Some of us told them with all modesty and humility – you are wrong .
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“ But the person that is most wrong is the Governor of Benue State, my brother and my colleague , Governor ( Samuel ) Ortom ; he started all these . If you don’ t accommodate other tribes we are also accommodating your people in Bauchi and other places.
“ We have so many Tiv people working and farming in Alkaleri, farming in Tafawa Balewa, farming in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi ; has anyone asked them to go ? We have not, because it is their constitutional rights to be there .
“ We have Yoruba people in Bauchi for over 150 years, even before the birth of Nigeria. Nobody has told them to go ; some of them have risen to become permanent secretaries in Bauchi , Gombe and Borno .

“ And now , the Fulani man is practicing the tradition of trans -human , pastoralism , he has been exposed to the dangers of the forests, the animals , and now , the cattle rustlers , who carry guns , kill him and take away his commonwealth, his cows , he had no option than to carry Ak -47 and defend himself because the society and the government are not protecting him .
“ It is not his fault , it is the fault of the government and the people ; you don’ t criminalise all of them because in every tribe there are criminals . You should be very sensitive .”