The first son of the Seriki Fulani in Eggua, Sulaimon Adamu, says his father has relocated to Abeokuta after the visit to the community of Sunday Igboho that led to the burning of their house.
Adamu, however, did not disclose the area where his father moved to in Abeokuta, saying he was distressed after the incident.
An Ibadan-based rights activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, had stormed Eggua with his lieutenants to assist the residents of the troubled community drive out Fulani herdsmen.
Shortly after Igboho’s visit, the residence of the Seriki Fulani of Eggua, Adamu Olooru, was set ablaze as he was blamed for doing nothing about the criminal activities perpetrated by killer Fulani herders in the area.
It was also gathered that a section of the market belonging to Fulani settlers where they sold cows was burnt.
One person was killed and several cows are still missing.
“I am a Fulani herder, but I was born in Asa, a community close to Eggua. My parents relocated here. My parents are Fulani from Ilorin. When I was growing up, Yoruba farmers and Fulani herders were friends with cordial relationships and no fights,” Adamu said.
“But now, things have changed, and it is something that disturbs me a lot. People don’t know that the Fulani herders from the upper Niger are the criminals. The Fulani herders from Sokoto, Kebbi and other core North areas are the ones killing people.
“They fight and kill Fulani people that are settlers like us too, so these nomads are the criminals that the government should fight and punish so that Nigeria can have peace.
“My father, Adamu Olooru, was sad about the recent happenings when Sunday Igboho came and burnt our house. He has relocated to Abeokuta for now.”
When asked if he felt threatened about the current wave of activism that Igboho had brought to South-West in a bid to flush out killer Fulani herders, Adamu said he was in total support of it because he was not a criminal.
“I am not a criminal so I have nothing to fear. I support Sunday Igboho fully to help us arrest these criminals. But, what I am not happy about is that they also generalise when they are doing their jobs. They should not be like the Nigeria Police that cannot differentiate between criminals and innocent people.”
