Savage Fulani Herdsmen Abduct a Catholic Priest, Shoot 2 Others in Nigeria

Photo Credit: Ventures Africa / Public Domain

Savage Fulani herdsmen allegedly kidnapped a Catholic priest and shot and wounded two others. Vanguard Nigeria reports: "The Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, yesterday alleged that suspected Fulani herdsmen armed with dangerous weapons including guns, attacked and kidnapped the Rector of Tansi Major Seminary, Rev. Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Dim, while two other priests Rev. Frs. Jude Chukwuneke and Jude Ezeokana who were in the same vehicle with him escaped with various degrees of gun shot wounds. Addressing reporters at the Nnewi Catholic Diocese Media House, located in Assumption Cathedral Nnewi, Director of Communication of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Hyginus Aghaulor, alleged that the herdsmen called, and demanded for a ransom of N2.5 million. He said: “Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, has decided and directed that ransom should not be paid for the kidnap of any of its priests and anybody that is demanding for ransom for the release of any priest kidnapped is wasting time. “If anybody or group goes ahead to pay ransom for the release of any priest, the person or the group is on his own.” In a statement issued after addressing reporters, titled “Fulani herdsmen kidnap Rector of Tansi Major Seminary, Onitsha, demands for ransom,” the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi said the incident happened on the September 26, 2016, around 7pm along Nkpologwu/Nimbo Road Enugu State."

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/suspected-fulani-herdsmen-kidnap-catholic-priest-shoot-2-others-in-anambra/

Under the administration of former dictator and current President of Nigeria, Rtd. General Muhammadu Buhari, criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen have significantly increased. Virtually nothing has been done to curb such activities despite the fact that the Global Terrorism Index lists Fulani herdsmen as the 4th deadliest terrorist group in the world. Savage Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria are armed with semi-automatic and automatic AK-47 rifles and other deadly weapons but the government of Nigeria under Buhari has refused to disarm them.

Buhari is believed to be a Fulani herdsman as he is Fulani and owns hundreds of cattle. It is believed that other Fulani herdsmen cater for his cattle and those owned by other oligarchs in northern Nigeria. It is well known that Buhari is a life patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and Nigerians believe he overtly protects their interest and those of Fulani herdsmen over the safety and interest of innocent victims of the herdsmen and Nigerians as a whole.

Today, majority of the violent Fulani herdsmen who have attacked, maimed or killed farmers have never been arrested, and few who have been arrested have never been charged or prosecuted in a bona fide court of law. Hence, the savage Fulani herdsmen often brag openly stating that their "brother" is now the president and no one can do anything to them. Such is the state of affairs in Nigeria under Buhari's watch.

To date, none of the families of the victims of Fulani herdsmen have been paid any form of reparation by the herdsmen, or the Federal government of Nigeria who has overtly supported the herdsmen under Buhari's watch.