Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said Fulani herdsmen are an inseparable part of Nigeria and cannot be driven out, urging Nigerians to learn to coexist peacefully with them.
Gumi made the remarks in a video shared on social media platform X, where he insisted that the herdsmen belong to Nigeria just like every other group in the country.
According to him, no group has the right or capacity to force Fulani herdsmen out of the country, just as they cannot expel others, stressing that they are neighbours who should not be treated as enemies.
The cleric warned that portraying herdsmen as adversaries could have dangerous consequences for national stability, noting that such hostility could ultimately work against the country’s interests.
“They are going nowhere. They are part of us, and we are part of them. We must learn to live together and never become enemies,” Gumi said.
He further cautioned that Nigeria’s real enemies could exploit internal divisions, pointing out that neighbours often have deep knowledge of one another’s movements and vulnerabilities.
“Your real enemy will use your neighbour against you. Nobody knows your secrets more than your neighbour—when you leave and when you return. That is why we must never allow herdsmen to become our enemies,” he added.
Gumi called for dialogue, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, stressing that unity among Nigerians remains essential to preventing external forces from exploiting internal conflicts.
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