FUNAM

[Jibrin Ibrahim]

Governor Samuel Ortom and the so-called Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) 

 

Jibrin Ibrahim, Deepening Democracy Column, Daily Trust, 26^th March 2021

 

Last Saturday, Governor Ortom of Benue State was attacked by a group he described as armed assassins and had to run 1.5 kilometres to save his life. I am glad he was able to outrun the assassins although I did wonder why his close protection squad allowed him run into the dangerous forests over such a long distance rather than keep him protected in his bullet proof vehicle while they dealt with the attackers. Shortly after the attack, a press release was allegedly issued by the Fulani Nationality Movement, ( FUNAM) claiming they carried out the attack on behalf of Millions of Fulani people in 15 countries. The statement added:

 

“It's a case of vengeance against an infidel who has used his time and money, deployed in destroying the Fulani values and inheritance…

 

Our intention is unequivocal: TO KILL HIM. That mission will one day be fulfilled and very soon too.” Signed - Umar Amir Shehu

 

I have seen such statements so many times without any evidence that such a group exists outside the computers of conflict manufacturers fabricating dangerous narratives. I recall that during the first week of January 2018, a crisis erupted in Benue State resulting in the death of dozens of people as herders and farmers clashed. Concerned with the grave dangers the events and the passions it generated posed for national safety and cohesion, the Nigerian Bar Association decided to send a fact-finding mission to the State to investigate and seek to intervene and I was invited to join as an expert adviser. The crisis followed the passage and implementation of the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. 

 

The Delegation was in Makurdi on the 19^th and 20^th January 2018 led by then NBA President A. B. Mahmoud, with some members of the executive committee and a representative set of lawyers. The Delegation was told that before the said law was enacted; there had been 49 attacks on Benue farming communities by “Fulani terrorists” engaged on a genocide mission that is coordinated by the Miyetti Allah. Governor Ortom waved a press release by a certain Fulani Nationality Movement, (FUNAM), claiming to have been issued in Kano on Saturday, January 13, 2018 and signed by one Badu Salisu Ahmadu, National President and Umar Amir Shehu. The “press release” was extreme provocation and stated as follows:

 

a) That the killings in Benue of Tiv is well deserved. It was a revenge attack on the series of onslaught on the Fulani….

b) We condemn the media propaganda being waged against the Fulani and supported by Yoruba, Igbo and their bigotry allies in the Middle Belt.

c) That we are aware of plots by the minority ethnic groups in the Middle Belt to attack Fulani settlements. 

d) That we have asked all Fulani across West Africa to raise money and arms to prosecute the oncoming war. We call on all Fulanis to prepare for this Holy War... 

This so-called press release really sparked extreme anger against the herders and put the entire Benue community on a war footing. At this point, it is worth pointing out the same so-called FUNAM, with the same signatories reportedly issued a very similar message on 25^thJune 2018. This was shortly after people had been killed in Barakin Ladi in Plateau State. The statement asserted that: “The killings in Barkin Ladi was motivated by previous killings of FULANI men and women by Birom youths in collaboration with certain minority ethnic groups in PLATEAU. We hereby justify these retaliatory attacks and warn that we shall continue to defend ourselves and uphold the FULANI heritage now and in the future. Let it be known that the Fulani Special Force coordinated the attacks.” The statement added that: “Plateau is an indigenous territory of the FULANI people. We are the first to settle in Plateau-Benue axis thousands of years ago. We shall take and possess every inch of this land.” Then came the punch line: “This was the destiny bestowed on Uthman Dan Fodio which would have been fulfilled since 1816 if not for the obstruction of this great assignment by the British…. Insha Allah, we shall take this battle across the sea, on the land, in the air, on the mountains, in every territory currently occupied by the Kafirs.”

These two press releases of 2018 were timed to appear days after communal clashes had led to the killing of people, mostly farmers in the two States. They were clearly crafted as dangerous speech produced to intensify anger against the killings and push people to do more killing. The technique used is that of extreme provocation by threatening to take over the land of people and forcibly convert them to Islam. The technique also draws from history – drawing parallels from the history of slave trade and the Jihad threatening to re-enact the events of the past. I have investigated the organisation and no one knows it, they have never given a press conference and its signatories are not known. They simply circulate their write up on the internet and on WhatsApp and unfortunately, many people believe them to be true spokes persons for the herder community. The reality is that mischief makers who want to exacerbate violence and killings circulate such material and they have been very successful in persuading people to engage in killings and revenge killings, deepening the cycles of bloody violence in our society.

Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community, a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community. So many people have been killed because some people genuinely believe that these press releases are true statements coming from the Fulani pastoral community. The level of threat, arrogance and provocation in the statements is so high that there is no surprise it always generates more violence. The security agencies should investigate this matter as it has become a major driver of hate and violence in our society.  

 

 

 

 

Professor Jibrin Ibrahim

Senior Fellow

Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja

Follow me on twitter @jibrinibrahim17

[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Great thanks, Jibrin, for your suggesting that Ortom is the brains behind the Fulani Nationality Movement, a claim you try to justify by arguing that FUNAM has never given a press conference.

I am yet to read your comments on the press conferences given by Miyetti Allah, led by Nigeria'smost elite Fulani, justifying massacre after massacre and threatening  hell in the Middle Belt as the govt fails to apprehend them while giving them vocal support.

You are the same person who falsely described governor Akeredolu  as demanding all Fulani should leave his state, and when that non-factuality was severally pointed out on this group, you made no effort to correct yourself.

And yet you are a member of the highest levels of the elite in your region.

thanks

toyin

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[Toyin Falola]

Jibrin never said that.

Do please read him well.

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 26, 2021, at 2:27 PM, Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

I stated he suggested it.

The suggestion is contained in his opening and closing paragraphs.

The first paragraph  responds sarcastically to Ortom's account of his escape:

''Last Saturday, Governor Ortom of Benue State was attacked by a group he described as armed assassins and had to run 1.5 kilometres to save his life. I am glad he was able to outrun the assassins although I did wonder why his close protection squad allowed him run into the dangerous forests over such a long distance rather than keep him protected in his bullet proof vehicle while they dealt with the attackers.''

The last paragraph drives his point home:

''Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community, a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community.''

The body of the essay is centred on proving the non-existence of FUNAM, arguing they have never held a press conference.

Yet, this same professor who writes copiously on Nigerian affairs  kept silent in the face of recurrent Miyetti Allah press conferences justifying massacres of Nigerians, even as the group remains unquestioned  by the Fulani led govt and given overt support by that govt.

thanks

toyin

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/B85E669C-0753-4D2D-A124-1DD51BB8A454%40austin.utexas.edu.

[OLAYINKA AGBETUYI]

Toyin Adepoju.

I back TF"s statement that Oga Jibrin never stated that Ortom was behind FUNAM.

AIl he implied was that there was a cat and mouse game between Ortoms accusation against the Fulani and the faceless retort of FUNAM.  He suggested the identity of those behind FUNAM be exposed by the security agencies for all.  

If Ortom was behind FUNAM, then he is busy exposing his supposed untruth about the Fulani to ridicule.

If Ortom were behind FUNAM, in a bid to get the Fulani out of Benue as you suggest Jibrin is alleging, then it is a messy game of brinkmanship at the expense of Ortom and Benue people.

OAA

Sent from my Galaxy

-------- Original message --------

From: Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com>

Date: 26/03/2021 21:56 (GMT+00:00)

To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FUNAM

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I stated he suggested it.

The suggestion is contained in his opening and closing paragraphs.

The first paragraph  responds sarcastically to Ortom's account of his escape:

''Last Saturday, Governor Ortom of Benue State was attacked by a group he described as armed assassins and had to run 1.5 kilometres to save his life. I am glad he was able to outrun the assassins although I did wonder why his close protection squad allowed him run into the dangerous forests over such a long distance rather than keep him protected in his bullet proof vehicle while they dealt with the attackers.''

The last paragraph drives his point home:

''Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community, a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community.''

The body of the essay is centred on proving the non-existence of FUNAM, arguing they have never held a press conference.

Yet, this same professor who writes copiously on Nigerian affairs  kept silent in the face of recurrent Miyetti Allah press conferences justifying massacres of Nigerians, even as the group remains unquestioned  by the Fulani led govt and given overt support by that govt.

thanks

toyin

On Fri, 26 Mar 2021 at 21:52, Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:

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[Femi Segun]

The opening paragraph smarks off a feeling of uncertainty. Prof Jubril also put a picture of the Governor running in a tracksuit on his Facebook page-hours after the incident happened. I felt that was satirical and grossly insensitive. I was about to ask if he displayed that kind of insensitivity when the respectable Governor of Borno state escaped two assassination attempts by Boko Haram terrorists. Opinion leaders of Prof Jubril Ibrahim stature need to rise beyond ethnic sentiments and contribute to rebuilding the country that he writes so much about, except of course if the writings are just for mere intellectual exercise or serving some other suboptimal purposes. 

Femi

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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

This is not a reference to a cat and mouse game-

''Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community, a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community.''

It is an allegation.

Thanks

toyin

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[OLAYINKA AGBETUYI]

Yes, the first part is an allegation, but the second part is a statement of fact and Jibrin did not make the explicit link.

.

The FUNAM press release could be the work of a maverick Fulani group who are clearly too educated to be herdsmen, or another non Fulani group pretending to be Fulani group trying to draw ire of Benue populace against the Fulani and succeeding as Jibrin suggested.

Jibrin wanted assistance of the intelligence community to establish the link in his conclusion

OAA

Sent from my Galaxy

-------- Original message --------

From: Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com>

Date: 27/03/2021 02:45 (GMT+00:00)

To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FUNAM

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This is not a reference to a cat and mouse game-

''Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community, a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community.''

It is an allegation.

Thanks

toyin

On Sat, 27 Mar 2021 at 02:59, OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com> wrote:

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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Please help me understand how the coupling of these two expressions represents a statement of fact-

''Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community,

 a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community.''

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/DB6PR04MB29827775552307869E4BEED1A6609%40DB6PR04MB2982.eurprd04.prod.outlook.com.

[OLAYINKA AGBETUYI]

It is self evident that it is a statement of fact because the writer cited two instances in the past when the two events happened closely one after the other implying that the two appear to be tied together somehow and led to inter- communal violence.

Are you denying that was the case?

He casts doubt on the content of the second statement being generated by a bona-fide Fulani organisation.  He thinks it might have been generated by a body that wanted the inter- communal conflict to go on.

You accuse him of not saying anything about Miyetti Allah, but he is now saying something about FUNAM and you think it is wrong.

It appears to me that all he wants is for people generating violence by their activities to stop, the way you think Miyetti Allah's activities contribute to violence. What is wrong with that? You want the security apparatus to deal with Miyetti Allah, he wants them to deal with FUNAM. Can you make his choices for him?

Do you know enough about the identities of those behind FUNAM to confirm they are genuine?  Jibrin is more connected in northern Nigeria than you are to separate fact from fiction. He said he had made preliminary enquiries, what enquiries did you make?

OAA

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-------- Original message --------

From: Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com>

Date: 27/03/2021 10:50 (GMT+00:00)

To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FUNAM

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Please help me understand how the coupling of these two expressions represents a statement of fact-

''Every time Governor Ortom sets out to mobilise anger against the Fulani community,

 a provocative press release allegedly from FUNAM will appear and it will generate emotions against the community.''

On Sat, 27 Mar 2021 at 05:25, OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com> wrote:

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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

I wonder if im really interested in this merry go round.

an ethnic champion chooses to ignore terrorists making press conferences and pounces on those who do not make press conferences so as to deny the existence of such terrorists.

he accusses ortom of manufacturing stories aboiut fulani terrorism and here you are struggling to twist what he has written.

please keep it up.

but dont spoil his work by referecing fulani militia terrorism as you did in your previous comment.

jubrin's goal is to disavow that such a phenomenon exists.

may God help Southern Nigerian intelligentsia  in their efforts to seek comradeship with people who do not so regard them.

thanks

toyin

toyin

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[OLAYINKA AGBETUYI]

There are too many prejudiced broad sweeps here.

.

What does your conclusion mean?

Why are northerners on this forum, including Jibrin, if northerners as a block do not seek comradeship?  Is this conclusion logical?

What Jibrin is sceptical about is a particular group FUNAM.  You want to forcibly demand he comments on Miyetti Allah.  He may or may not respond.  You cant force him.

Miyetti has not been officially designated as terrorist organisation by anyone or body I know except Toyin Adepoju.  This personal opinion cannot be forced on everyone.  That is unnecessary aggressiveness.  Everybody is not bound to see things your way and you cannot cast aspersions on their integrity because they dont see things your way.  That is bully boy tactics.

Everyone knows Miyetti  are connected to the herder/ farmer conflict because of their links to the herder community.  

If the reprisal killings of Fulani herders by farmers as analysed by many sources including Jibrin is not categorised as terrorism then is Adepoju's analysis on Miyetti not biased?

OAA

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-------- Original message --------

From: Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com>

Date: 28/03/2021 03:01 (GMT+00:00)

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Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FUNAM

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I wonder if im really interested in this merry go round.

an ethnic champion chooses to ignore terrorists making press conferences and pounces on those who do not make press conferences so as to deny the existence of such terrorists.

he accusses ortom of manufacturing stories aboiut fulani terrorism and here you are struggling to twist what he has written.

please keep it up.

but dont spoil his work by referecing fulani militia terrorism as you did in your previous comment.

jubrin's goal is to disavow that such a phenomenon exists.

may God help Southern Nigerian intelligentsia  in their efforts to seek comradeship with people who do not so regard them.

thanks

toyin

toyin

On Sat, 27 Mar 2021 at 12:31, OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com> wrote:

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