By Gabriel Atumeyi
Following the 72-hour ultimatum issued to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to withdraw his support for the ban on open grazing, the Fulani community in Delta State has distanced itself from the threat.
365Daily on Sunday had reported that a group which said it was speaking for Fulani’s across the country issued the ultimatum to Okowa and other Southern governors to withdraw the ban on open grazing or be ready for a bloodbath beginning from Asaba and Agbor.
The threat however, elicited reactions from individuals, organisations, including former militants, with the police in the state assuring the people of safety of lives and property.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Okowa in charge of Special Duties, Alhaji Usman Muktar and the leadership of the Fulani, in a joint press briefing in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state on Monday, denied knowledge of the faces of Fulani Jihadists threatening mayhem in the state.
He said they also received the news of the threat with a rude shock, saying since the news broke out, the Fulani community in the state has been gripped with fear of possible attack from their host communities.
“We are very disappointed in what happened yesterday in the state and we are calling on the state government and security agencies to know that we are not part and parcel of that nonsense that is happening.
“We are Nigerians and we have a good working relationship with our host communities.
“We are equally calling on the government to fish out those behind that publication. We are not part of this and we can never be part of it.”
“We call on those behind this not to cause unnecessary tension because, since yesterday and today, our Fulanis are panicking.
“They are thinking that the communities can attack them anytime. Whereas, they don’t know what is happening,” he noted.
Alhaji Muktar, however, thanked the state governor for accepting the Fulani whole-heartedly in the state, disclosing that they were more accepted in Delta than their states of origin.
Present at the briefing included Alhaji Musa Muhammed, the Sarki Fulani in the state, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, Chairman of Meyetti Allah in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Haruna and Alhaji Useni Haruna, Sarkin Asaba, among others.