Government complicity in Nigeria terrorism

GOVERNMENT’S ‘COMPLICITY’ IN NIGERIA TERRORISM

SUMMIT ON TERRORISM AND INSECURITY IN NIGERIA

AT WASHINGTON DC JULY 13TH TO 5TH, 2020 

ABSTRACT:

Doing justice to this topic, requires the approach to solving a jig-saw puzzle. This is so because the proofs are basically imbedded in subterfuge, overt and covert actions. This is reminiscent of the statement made by Late General Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s former Head of State, on the 17^th November 1993 when he said, “if insurgency lasts more than 24 hours, the government have a hand in it”. Boko Haram insurgency have festered for more than 10 years now (2020) and still ongoing. Also, General TY Danjuma former Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister of the Federal Government of Nigeria corroborated the above statement on March 25^th, 2018; he said inter-alia that, “the armed forces of Nigeria are not neutral; they collude with the armed bandits, Nigerians should defend themselves, else they will all die one by one”. Furthermore, General (Dr) Olusegun Obasanjo Former Head of State and President Federal Republic of Nigeria, said in a published statement available online and the print media, dated 24^th January 2018, inter-alia that, “the President Buhari’s government is pursuing and executing Fulanisation and Islamisation Agenda against the indigenous (Autochthonous) people of Nigeria”. Suffice to state that, what is today known as terrorism in Nigeria, is a one-man inspired family-military expedition ostensibly expressed as Islamic Jihad. According to Dr. Ibrahim A. Modu and Dr. Yakubu Tahir Maigari: the Uthman Danfodio’s Jihad of 1804 was seen by the Fulani, as a political movement, to establish themselves as the Masters of Hausa land; indeed, the social and political texture of present-day Nigeria has continue to be conditioned by the consequences of the Jihad viz:-

(i)          The creation of Inspectorate for Almajiri Educational System, that reports directly to the Emirs.

(ii)        Introduction of radical elements like the nature, social and political implications, of Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline and Political Tyranny; in the teachings of Al-Sunnah (exemplary teachings and practices of Prophet Mohammed, PBU) by Uthman Danfodio.

(iii)      Institution of Qadiriyya Brotherhood that became the dominant brotherhood of the Sokoto Caliphate; as a movement and influential Sunni Institution, which order relies strongly upon adherence to the fundamentals of Islam (interpreted through mystical experience). They form various dervishes (Muslims who have chosen for themselves; poverty, austerity, fighting, suicide etc) in exchange for their spirituality.

Historical accounts show that Uthman Danfodio claimed to have received revelation in a vision, as his Fighting Dervish, suggesting a Jihad for him in the year 1794-1795, and commanded his followers (Almajirai) to arm themselves. Before now, the Fulani Settlements were organized on a defensive basis and each group had its own militia (garrison command) to guard it in times of attack. Consequently, the Almajiri in Northern Nigeria can be identified as, poverty and Fighting Dervish, while Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen can be identified as the Fighting Dervish without poverty. All Fulani Settlements across Nigeria are therefore Garrison Commands. It became institutionalized through the British Indirect Rule of the then Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Its ideology was imbedded in the Northern Nigeria Qur’anic System of Education known as the Almajiri System. The pupils are drawn mostly from Hausa families and few other core-north Muslim families.

It is these Almajiris that metamorphosed into Northern Muslims ethno religious rioters and suicide bombers, which became the hiatus to the formation of Boko Haram fighters and Fulani Herdsmen terrorists. Hausa and Fulani Muslim elites and the Fulani monarchs thrive through favourable government policies and constitutional provisions like; quota system/Federal character and Sharia respectively. They conditioned and allow the Almajiri institution to nurture and propagate itself by self-help and alms begging from the public, in furtherance of the ruling Fulani Muslim Elites’ family monarchy expedition schemes; to the ultimate of running over Nigeria, for their complete take-over and ownership. Hence the complicity of their ethnic/fraternal men and women in power and authority, in and outside government spaces of control or influence, even by their own people of affluence outside government. They help the insurgents thrive by exhibiting pretense, deceit and lying amongst other subterranean vices, as alluded to below:-

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State made the following statements inter-alia, available in various news media (print/electronics) and online, that;

(i)          “Fulanis don’t forgive and don’t forget”.

(ii)        “Anyone, soldier or not that kills the Fulani takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes”.

(iii)      “We have traced the killer Fulanis to; Chad, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal and Niger Republics, begged and compensated them to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna”. The above statements (i) and (ii) were made in the wake of killings in Plateau State, while that in (iii) was in respect of Southern Kaduna, in the years 2012 and 2016 respectively.

Also, the Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III declared that; “God is using insurgency in the Northern part of the country to punish Nigerians for their sins” as reported by daily post of February 21, 2020.

Furthermore, on the 3^rd of October 2011 at Harvard University School of Divinity USA, the same Sultan is reported to have declared in his speech as follows, “I do not recognize any constitution but the Qur’an”.

Ironically, the same Sultan is approved by constitutional government of Nigeria as Chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria. The council under the bill establishing it has powers to:

(i)          Strangulate and kill every non-Islamic or Fulani culture in Nigeria, as contained in lines 17-18-page C1217 and lines 24-25 C4 2008.

(ii)        Make laws that justify any of their actions under lines 24-25-page C4 2008.

It is important to note that the Sultan is the life President Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) and different other Islamic Groups/Organizations in Nigeria.

The NSCIA is the final policy, strategy and decision-making organ for Nigerian Muslims, while the JNI is the organ/group in charge of victory of Muslims in Nigeria, by virtue of which all other Muslims’ groups/organizations come under its purview. Interestingly Boko Haram, Miyetti Allah, Fulani Nationality Movement and Fulani Herdsmen are generally known as Pro-Fulani Muslim organizations; engaged in land grabbing and territorial extension by militancy/terror campaigns.

In the same occasion at Harvard, the Sultan also said, “Islamic Banking has come to stay in Nigeria and there is no need to quarrel over the issue because we shall realize what we want. I want to assure you”.

Again, the Sultan by virtue of the provision of line 4 of the bill’s page C1217 of the Traditional Rulers Council bill 2008, is also a member of the National Council of States (NCS). The NCS is a constitutional arm of the government, Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the highest advisory organ of the government; composed of the President, all former Presidents/Heads of State, all former chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker House of Representatives, all Governors of the States of the Federation and Attorney General of the Federation.

In advancing the cause of Fulani Worldwide Nationalism, the governor of Bauchi State Bala Mohammed, declared in a live chat in Channels Television programme of 16 September 2019, that; “we are already accommodating foreign Fulani, they are all Nigerians” (by inference the world over).

This and other statements above, aptly give credence to Former President Obasanjo’s allegations that the government of President Buhari is indeed pursuing and executing Fulanisation and Islamic Agenda. The foregoing sufficiently allude to governments’ complicity in Nigeria’s Terrorism.

Confirmatory to the veracity of the above allusion, is the report from Agnes Callamard, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitary Executions, dated 2 September 2019; item number 35C States that; “military’s complicity: in the attack of Mkievowro, in Plateau, in October 2017, witness reported that ‘soldiers present were bribed by Fulani Herdsmen’. The attack resulted in the killing in the school where people had sought safety of some 29 persons. In this case, the soldiers were arrested and taken to the headquarters to be tried. However, none of the survivors, some two years later, had been asked to provide testimonies and they have not been to trial, if a trial indeed occur”.

Also indictively reported against the government are the following:-

(i)          Arbitrary killing of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

(ii)        Arbitrary killing of members of the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

(iii)      Arbitrary killings of Ogoni people.                        

(iv)       Widespread excessive use of force.

(v)         Violence against women and feminicide.

(vi)       Arbitrary killings on the basis of alleged sexual orientation.

(vii)     Death penalty.

(viii)   Access to justice.

As a reflection of ethnic and religious acrimony and animosity; the first Ethno Religious Riots broke out in Kaduna State, 1987. The patrimony family home of Nigeria’s former Head of State General Gowon, was attacked. The grave of his father was desecrated and the family house vandalized. General Gowon ruled Nigeria 1966 – 1975, within which he fought Civil War for 3 years (1967 – 1970) for the unification of Nigeria. Though from Plateau State by origin, he believes in one Nigeria and adopted Wusasa Zaria Kaduna State, as his indigenous home. His family attackers were apparently Hausa-Fulani Muslim children aged between 7-11 years old on the average, estimatedly. This was 12 years after Gowon was Head of State and 9 years earlier before most of them were born. Common sense tells that, these children could not of their own volition nurse animosity against the Gowons, without the influence, indoctrination and instructions of their parents and Islamic teachers.

Instructively, after the above brazen display of disrespect and hostilities against the person of General Yakubu Gowon, by Children; in the same Zaria Professor Ango Abdullahi contested election against General Gowon, as a mark of alienation and disrespect for the former Head of State, thereby stalling his nomination to Nigeria’s constitutional conference, under General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration in 1988/89. The actions of Prof. Ango, though his constitutional right as a person, non the less demonstrates a departure from the spirit of one-Nigeria that General Gowon and indeed other non-Fulani Nigerians stood for, fought, and died for. Much to the chagrin of other Nigerians, the Fulani Muslim Elites have demonstrated being the ultimate beneficiaries of victory of the war, exemplified by their dominance of the  political power as follows:-

·        General Murtala Muhammed (1975 – 1976)    6months Muslim.

·        Alhaji Shehu Shagari (1979 – 1983)        4years 3months Fulani.

·        General Mohammadu Buhari (1983 – 1985)    1year 8months Fulani.

·        General Ibrahim Babangida (1985 – 1993)      8years Muslim.

·        General Sani Abacha (1993 – 1998)                4years 7months Muslim.

·        General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998 – 1999) 1year approximately Muslim.

·        Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua (2007 – 2010) 3years approximately Fulani.

·        President Mohammadu Buhari (2015 – 2020)         5years still counting Fulani.

To further corroborate the above Northern ethno religious monopoly of power, since 1966 – 1975 that General Gowon, a non-Muslim Northerner ruled Nigeria for 9years; it has been 45 years (1975 – 2020), out of which Northern Muslims and Fulani ruled Nigeria for 28years, as illustrated above. Fulani Muslim ethnic group alone, ruled for 13years and still counting.

To leave no one in doubts, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (Fulani socio-cultural Association), Abdullahi Bodejo declared on 6^th June 2020 that; “Fulani founded Nigeria, they have the right to rule forever”, as reported by Saturday Sun and other Nigeria Newspaper.

General Murtala Mohammed is the only ‘Hausa man’ of the main ethnic Northern tribal groups that ruled Nigeria and for less than 1year. The rest 14years (from those 28years) were ruled by Generals: Babangida, Abacha, and Abdulsalami from other Northern tribal groups, all of whom partook in the war to keep Nigeria one.

On the other hand, from 17years out of the 45years under reference, non-Muslim and non-Hausa-Fulani Southerners ruled Nigeria as follows:-

·        General Aguiyi Ironsi (1966) 6months Igbo Christian.

·        General Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-1979) 3years 8months approximately Yoruba Christian.

·        President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) 8years Yoruba Christian.

·        Chief Enerst Shonekan (1993) 3months approximately Yoruba Christian.

·        President Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2015) 5years 1month Ijaw Christian.

Considering the 3 major ethnic groups that form Nigeria; Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, the Fulani Muslim Elites group (from a minority tribal group that is basically an appendage to Hausa ethnic group), they alone ruled Nigeria for 13years. There is therefore no doubts over their total grip on political power and levers of power in Nigeria. Even the Hausas on whose population they rose to prominence are nowhere in the power equation. Obviously, the Hausas were hoodwinked in the guise of Islam, used and dumped, just like other Nigerians that fought for the unity war; after the victory over the Civil War that ended in favour of the Hausa Fulani, and the Fulani Muslim Elites’ exclusive dominance of power, and perpetual grip of the levers of power.

The Fulani ruling elites are now poised to change the demography of Nigeria, through the administration of free entry visa to Nigeria ostensibly for all Africans; by massively flooding the country with Fulani immigrants/emigrants world over, the existing immigration/emigration laws governing the Nigerian State, notwithstanding whatsoever. They are on a military expedition to own Nigeria as a Fulani Nation.

KEY WORDS: Boko Haram, Miyetti Allah, Almajiri, Elites, Fulani, Hausa, Monarchs, Terrorism, Jihad, Herdsmen, Fulanisation, Islamisation and Subterfuge.

Metamophorsis of the Fulani Northern identity in Nigeria: From historical accounts, Islam was introduced and established in Northern Nigeria between the 11^th to 16 centuries, in the Kanem Borno Empire and the Hausa Kingdom(s) by Muslim clerics and traders (slave traders inclusive). The Hausa Kingdoms comprised of Daura, Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Gobir, Rano, Biram (Hadejia). They were known for their exploits in warfare, trade in slaves and cotton, and they had their seat of government at Biram (Hadejia).

Sheikh Uthman Danfodio launched a Fulani family Jihad, with collaboration of Indoctrinated and Brainwashed Hausa peasantry (Almajiri) against the ruling Hausa Kings, in 1804 to 1810 which led to the overthrow of the Hausa Kingdoms and their subsequent conversion to Sokoto Caliphate, with Danfodio and his siblings as Sultan and Emirs respectively. Kanem Borno Empire, an earlier Muslim Umma under the scholarship of Sheikh Elkanemi, was repeatedly attacked by Danfodio without success, leaving them and their Islamic and Cultural identity intact. The Hausas had earlier integrated the settler Fulanis into their communities upto membership of their traditional councils and judicial system.

The Hausa peasants were the Almajiris who saw in Danfodio the prospects of a better Muslim society, where justice and equity would hold supreme under Sharia system of administration.

According to Dr Yakubu Tahir Maigari, “Uthman Bin Danfodio introduced pertinent social issues into the Almajiri scheme of education. It was his view as expressed in Ihya Al-Sunna, that it was the knowledge of the exact nature and implications of the Aberrations existing in society; such as Nepotism Moral Indiscipline and Political Tyranny, rather than the knowledge of Islam that was missing in Hausa Scholarship. The scholars he taught, knew the law in minute details but had not grasped their social and political implications. Some of the teachers (Mallams) have abused these schools in the remote areas, where children are detached from their parents at very tender age. The Almajiri system had lost the attention it requires since pre-colonial days”: as the Emirs and local authorities intentionally distanced themselves from their management and activities, thereby transforming them as beggars, dregs and miscreants of the society. Yet the Emirate Councils are stocked with humongous financial resources.

Original (Islamic) concept of Almajiri system of education:

From integrated and compressed summary of review of papers from 8 different authors, reads; Al-Muhajir (singular) Al-Muhajirun (plural) both words mean emigrants, derived from the word ‘Hajarah’ which means to flee from one’s country, to migrate, to emigrate (Q4:100), this could also mean Abstinence from what Allah has forbidden (Obligatory), accept Jihad (Striving) and immediate command to set forth (Nasai no. 7792) and Q 59:8.

Al-Muhajir means migration from place to place. The search for knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim regardless of age or status. There is nothing that relates Muhajirun with the Hausa version Almajiri in reports attributed to the prophet (PBUH).

In the Islamic literature, “a student remains a student and emigrant remains one (emigrant)”. The colonial masters report 1907-8 no. 594 Northern Nigeria, reads: “the students went to the college (a higher Kuttab) to study such subjects as Hadiths, Law Grammer, Philosophy, Poetry and Mathematics. They read books fundamental to Islam as Shakespeare is to English literature and were familiar with all major commentaries. The parent or guardian of a minor must never indulge in anything that could cause harm to a child (Q 6:151), it is enough a grievous sin for a person to neglect his child (Q 2:33 and 65:7). To eject a child at a very tender age to learn the Qur’an, as an act outside provisions of the Qur’an and the precepts of the Prophet of Islam, amount to a personal desire of such a person. The ‘Magasid’ higher intents, objectives, purposes, goals and principles of Shariah are two: (1) Promotion and preservation of the common good and benefits. (2) Avoidance and protection from harm. The disciples who relocated with the prophet to Medina were called ‘Al-Muhajirun, based on the Islamic doctrine that, “the best among you is one who learns the Quran and teaches it”.

The society and parents have obligation for proper care and education of their children. Education is compulsory for both male and female believers.

For Shariah States of the North, the states’ treasury particularly the Zakkat can be used to fund Almajiri education. It is a system better than any welfare system in the world, as posited by the Muslim scholars under reference.

For example, Pre-British Colonization Tsangaya was established in Kanem Borno Empire, as a system of education, for learning Islamic Principles, values, jurisprudence and theology. It was funded by the State and charity by the Muslim Community, and also Zakkat under the control of emirs of the traditional government system that existed. The pupils lived with their parents and guardians for moral upbringing. The schools were all within the immediate home environments of the pupils. The school is non-conventional, unregistered unregulated and uncensored.

Prominent Northern Nigerians that were Almajiri include the following amongst others:-

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, (first Prime Minister of Nigeria), Sir Ahmadu Bello, (first Premier of Northern Nigeria), Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, Habu Kale TIjjani, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Shiekh Abubakar Gumi, Ja’afar Adam, Kala Rawi, Goni Habib, Sheikh Shehu Uthman Danfodio etc.

The British Colonial Era: The British Colonial Administration was a direct consequence of the various attempts to stamp out Slave Trade and establish legitimate commerce.

To this end, various treaties were entered into between the colonial masters and Northern Emirs. The Emirs were to among other things, act upon their advice in matters relating to the administration of justice, development of resources, the interest of commerce or in any matter relating to peace, order and good government.  

One of such treaties read in parts:

We the Emir and Chiefs of Boussa (or Borgu), in council assembled (representing our country, its dependencies, and tributaries on both sides of the River Niger, and as far back as our dominion extends, in accordance with our laws and customs), do hereby agree, on behalf of ourselves and our successors forever to grant the company full and absolute jurisdiction over the foreigners to our territories – that is to say, over all persons within the territories who are not our native born subjects.

We also give the said National Africa Company (Limited) full power to settle all native disputes arising from any cause whatsoever… the said Africa National Company (Limited) bind themselves not to interfere with any of the Native Laws or Customs of the country, consistent with the maintenance of order and good government…. (And) agree to pay native owners of land a reasonable amount for any portion they may require. The said National Africa Company bind themselves to protect the said King and Chiefs from the attacks of any neighboring tribes.

Northern Nigeria (Hausa) practice of the Almajiri System of Education: The Sheikh Uthman Danfodio revolution brought with it some modifications;

i.            The establishment of inspectorate of Qur’anic literary who reported directly to the Emir of the province, concerning all matters relating to the school,

ii.          The introduction of pertinent social issues into the scheme of education, such as Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline, and Political Tyranny.

iii.        Parents send their kids from age’s 6-25years, to schools outside their home locations, with pupil’s population ranges: 25-500 per school.

According to the same Colonial Masters’ report cited earlier, “the colleges they run were away from the main thoroughfares, between high walls and were not open for inspection. Some of them had a rolling programme of activity, which started down until about 11pm.

The term Almajiri denotes a person who at the inception of his life is rejected and abandoned by his family. It is a system that condones people expelling their progenies from their dwellings under the guise of seeking Islamic knowledge.

The Muslim authorities fail to fund the Almajiri education and it lost the attention it requires since precolonial days. Hence It became a mechanism for production of jobless, traumatized and alienated large youth cohort who became the target of recruitment by insurgents. They are unemployable social class with a strong sense of identity and high tendency for cooptation into antisocial activities. They are susceptible to indoctrination by Boko Haram, to the notion that one has a vital role to play and mission to fulfil in a cosmic war between good and evil.

Mallams impose on the Almajiris, Kudin Sati’ (weekly payment of school fees).

The system runs more as a means of survival instead of a way of life. Parents don’t visit their Almajiri wards, nor the Almajiri return to their homes on visit.

The Mallams have potential to facilitate terrorist acts. The elites in pursuit of zero-sum political engagements employ all means including violent ones. As a mark of government complicity, no single Almajiri ‘Tsangaya’ was tracked down by the state in the fight against insurgency in Northern Nigeria. Enrollment into the Almajiri School is three times higher than that of the formal school. They are aversed to change in the existing cultural structure. The current Almajiri system is therefore not in accordance with the original Islamic system. This informs why the Emirs and all Northern Muslims and government authorities distanced themselves from the Almajiri but in taciturn approval of their existance and activities.

Consequently, abuse of the Almajiri schools led to moral perversion and ultimately to delinquency, thereby attributing to Islam the doing of individuals professing to be its adherents. Contrary to the postulation that, the Emirs lost control of their territories and the Almajiri Education System, and accepted their own role, as mere traditional rulers, this writer unequivocally posits that;

        “The Emirs, Political Elites and Authorities; distanced themselves from the control of the Almajiri, while the Mallams remain in full control of the Almajiri. The Mallams and Almajiri consequently resorted to menial jobs and begging for their survival, contrary to what obtained in the days of Kanem Borno Empire and Hausa Kingdoms”. Corruption held sway as revenues from Zakkat and statutory allocations for education were not appropriately applied by Shariah states’ authorities including the Emirate Councils.

A case study of Gombe (North Eastern State) metropolis report reveals that:-

·        46.25% of the Almajri were brought by their parents.

·        56.0% of the Almajiri never received visits from their parents.

·        87.5% of the Almajiri do labour for their Mallam.

·        Almajiri who suffered neglect the most are within the ages of 4-14 years (70.75%) mostly of the Hausa Tribe.

·        71.25% of the Almajiri take to begging to live. Significant number of the Almajiri in Maiduguri and Mubi (Adamawa State) are not Nigerians.

Colonial Masters’ reports of 1907 – 8 no.594 and Lady Sherwood Smith 1948 Northern Nigeria respectively reads:-

a.   “In the Mohammedan States (Hausa State) there has existed for probably many years the ordinary village ‘Kuttab’ perhaps rather below the average in most Mohammedan (Arabs) countries.

b.  “Of places like Borno, Kano, Katsina and Sokoto, where literacy was highly valued and scholars venerated, that; compared with other regions, the North was extremely backward”. From being the most literate territory in the nineteenth century to become the most illiterate, as a result of the spectacular cultural upheaval which had taken place (Danfodio Jihad).

There is no established or known destination; as benefit of the education acquired by the Almajiri, rather they are:-

i.            Vulnerable to various forms of exploitation by their elites, politicians, Mallams and sponsors of terrorism.

ii.          Susceptible to mobilization by terror groups like Boko Haram, using religious and cultural identities with invocation of theological beliefs as tools of campaigns for terrorism and violence.

iii.        Victims of corruption and injustice by their own leaders and sponsors.

iv.         They are among notoriously lawless groups like; Yan Sara Suka (those who hack and stab), Yan ci rani (dry season emigrants), and Yan Bangan Siyasa (political thugs).

v.           Most of Boko Haram foot soldiers are of the Almajiri stock.

vi.         The Uthman Danfodio overthrow and takeover of the Hausa Kingdoms have relegated the Hausa Tribal group to being synonymous with Almajiri as a person’s derailment from: civilization in synch with modernity, economic and social enterprises. While the Fulani Tribal Group are synonymous with rulership, elitism and herdsmenship. Hausa identity is steadily being diminished, as the culture is so obliterated that most of the Hausa words spoken today, are Arabic loan words. The Fulani continue to nurture and propagate their culture at the expense of the Hausas.

vii.       The Almajiri remain a dispensable ‘specie’ at the disposal of political elites and sponsors of terror.

From the historical account by Dr. Ibrahim A. Modu; it reads, Sheikh Uthman Danfodio counselled his Almajirai (followers) that if they died in the Jihad, paradise was their reward and if they are victorious, they would share in the booty and would be followed with the enjoyment of paradise in heaven (P19,21).

Subsequently, he propounded and propagated revolutionary sermons centred on the nature and aberrations existing in Hausa Kingdoms and beyond, such as Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline and Political Tyranny in the context of Ihya Al-Sunah (the deeds of Prophet Mohammed, PBUH). The Indoctrinated and Brainwashed Hausa peasantry became radicalized and incensed against their rulership, such that led to the overthrow of their kingdoms including a part of the Niger Republic. The Borno Empire was repeatedly attacked without success, which left them remain with their original Almajiri concept, culture and identity intact.

Hausa people consequently lost their rulership and traditional heritage. They became divided between Muslims and disbelievers (Maguzawa). Their sense of self consciousness and worth was lost. They lost their capacity for self-determination, cultural affinity and identity conclusively.              

They embraced Uthman Danfodio’s Ihya Al-Sunnah and adopted a brand of Almajiranci (parents detach their children from their home dwellings to unknown places and never to return home) in search of Islamic Knowledge. Hence their belief in the ideology; Boko Haram (Western education is a sin). Their children became willing recruits for insurgency and other antisocial activities.

They were limited to providing labour and services in agricultural production, under the administration of Sharia and Emirate system in the firm and total grips of the Fulani Monarchs. Almajiranci, poverty and backwardness became their identity.

The Hausa land and Kingdoms became the war booty, shared between the Town Fulani (those Fulani that were earlier accommodated and integrated into the Hausa communities) and Danfodio’s family and siblings. The Danfodio himself became the Sultan, while his family and siblings became Emirs. The Town Fulanis became the political and administrative elites, and merchants of agricultural produce, owners and merchants of herd and cattle.

Their peasants became the nomadic herdsmen and cattle rearers. The Town Fulani and Fulani Monarchs embraced western education, in addition to the Islamic education. Unlike the Hausas, the Fulani never in their Muslim lives jettisoned their culture (Pulaaku).

According to Dr. Nura Alkali, from his facebook page of 28/06/18; Tabital Pulaaku is solely about Fulani Culture, headed by the Lamido Adamawa.

From Fulbe literature online, “the cultural basis of the Fulbe is Pulaaku, which determines the behavior or the code of conduct of the Fulbe”. The Pulaaku is ancient. It has existed since the depth of time, and owes its survival to the poular/Fulfulde language.

There are 8 commandments of the Pulaaku, which are:-

(i)          Wata a hersa: never belittle yourself, never provoke self-shame, and never let others mock you.

(ii)        Wata a hula: never be scared/cultivate courage.

(iii)      Wata a fena: never lie.

(iv)       Wata Wujju: never steal.

(v)         Wata jaanfo: never betray.

(vi)       Wata taj enndam: never cut ties that join beings.

(vii)     Wata firtu aadi: always keep your word, respect your word.

(viii)   Kala ko hebaa enarennda: share, cultivate generosity.

From list of native names and meaning, we have:-

Lamido: King

Ardo: the leader of a territory

Sultan: ruler, king, strength, queen and power (Arabic)

Emir: king or a noble or military commander (Arabic)

Manu: Uthman or Usman

Muslim Fulani bear all of the above titles and are governed by a central cultural authority irrespective of religion. They remain religiously and culturally mobile. Whereas the Hausas have been culturally immobilized. A deculturalized people are synonymous to non-existent people. Suffice to state that, the Fulani did not only takeover the Hausa Kingdoms, they also perished them as a people.

The Danfodio’s ‘anticorruption campaigns’ ultimately became the Fulani launch pad to power and territorial expansions. They consequently strive to change Nigeria demography in favour of the Fulani population through various means, including schemes like RUGA (Fulani Settlements), Cattle Colony, Statutory Grazing Reserves/Routes, National Livestock Transformation Plans and Free Entry Visa to Nigeria for All Africans.

This has the potentials of transforming Fulani towns, villages and all manner of settlement-locations into Fulani ‘military garrisons’. Against the autochthonous (original indigenous) people of Nigeria. It aptly qualify as war strategy.

Another ‘tool’ with capacity for changing the demography of Nigeria, in favour of the Fulani, is the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), under the life Chairmanship of the Sultan of Sokoto.

The Sultan is on records to have openly declared unequivocally, that he does not recognize any Nigerian constitution, that the only constitution he recognizes is the Shariah. By virtue of his position as Chairman of the NCTRN, and a Fulani Monarch, he also represents the Fulani Cultural Heritage (Pulaaku; an embodiment of the Fulani people).

Some of the Critical Terms of Reference (TOR) of the NCTRN and some Critical Commandments of the Tabital Pulaaku, under which he has primordial obligations to operate are represented in table 1 below as follows:-

Table 1

NCTRN – TERMS OF REFERENCE	PULAAKU – COMMANDMENTS
-      Eliminate traditional customs and usages deemed harmful and outmoded. -      Advice the Federal Government of Nigeria on all religious matters.  -      Express opinion to any Federal Government organization on any matter referred to it by the government. -      Assist in resolving boundary disputes. -      Declare its own customs, and tradition which shall be coded and legislated into law.	-      Never; belittle yourself, provoke self-shame, let others mock you. -      Never be scared/ cultivate courage. -      Never betray -      Never cut ties that join beings.

 

From the table number 1 Above, the Sultan have been given the sole mandate (and he has the obligation) to transform Nigeria into Fulani and Islamic Cultural Identities. This in effect will complement the objectives of the territorial extensions and land-grabbing being executed by the Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen Terrorists. Instructively, he already had this mandate when he equipped in Harvard that “we shall realize what we want”.

       
The canon fodder role played by the Almajiris in the following ethno religious crisis and riots are well known:-

·        Kaduna State ethno religious riots of 1987

·        Zangon Kataf ethno religious riots of 1992

·        Kaduna Shariah riots of 2000

·        Kaduna sectarian riots of 2001

·        Riots against hosting of Miss World Contest in Nigeria, at Abuja and Kaduna in 2002.

·        2011 Presidential Election results riots in Northern States of Nigeria.

·        Spates of suicide bombings in Northern Nigeria and Abuja.

·        Participation in Boko Haram insurgency.

The combined effects of all of the above, amongst some other antisocial activities (with the involvement of the Almajiris), resulted in killings and displacement of person’s permanently, from their places of abode; in cities, towns, villages and isolated human settlements in Northern Nigeria; thereby balkanizing the people along ethnic and religious divide. Territorial extensions and land-grabbing were effected in the process.

There is no doubts that the current insurgency which is a continuation, of the Fulani territorial expansion and land-grabbing efforts, are now in a phase beyond the use of the Almajiris, hence the deliberate evolution of different schemes aimed at flooding Nigeria with Fulani across the world. They may have reasoned: Massive possession of fire arms in the hands of Hausa and Kanuri youths may boomerang in the final onslaught, as these tribal groups are original Nigerians and ‘blood is thicker than water’ (a Nigerian proverb, similar to the Fulanis’ Thabital Pulaaku’s commandment No.6 “Wata taj enndam” meaning; never cut ties that join beings).   

For over 200 years of existence of the Almajiri and over 30years of manifestations of their criminal and Anti-social traits, none of their acts have been condemned or the Almajiri arrested and prosecuted. Now that their ‘services’ may not be required, there are sudden calls by the same taciturn prominent Fulani Muslim elites, politicians and monarchs; for their disbandment or formalization of their educational system, and elimination of the practice of parents detaching their children from their home dwellings, and sent away as Almajiri.

An online contributor, Habu Kale Tijjani, quoted the Sultan from Vanguard Newspaper of 21 May 2017 as saying “Almajiri does not represent Islam, but hunger and poverty”, Tijjani said, “I believe it’s high time for the authorities, traditional rulers and the elites to come together and restrategise the system, banish or find a way of making it a formal and conventional one, or else the system will continue to breed recruits to the violent extremists groups”. This writer believes that the Sultan’s statement is incorrect because, Almajiri in the universal sense is Islamic indeed. What is not Islamic is the Northern Nigeria current Almajiri that represents the said hunger and poverty.

Ever since the ‘anticorruption crusade’ of Sheikh Uthman Danfodio in Northern Nigeria, corruption has thrived unabated particularly in Northern Nigeria, at notorious dimensions. Consequently, the Northern Nigeria is reputed for: hunger, poverty, illiteracy, ethnic and religious bigotry and all manner of underdevelopments. In human endeavours; associated with civilization and mordernity, compared to the Southern part of Nigeria. Opportunities offered by various government policies in their favour like quota system, federal character, lopsidedly structured government, in terms of number of local government areas, and states parity not withstand.

Still on corruption: in 1943 Sultan Siddiq Abubakar III convicted Sir Ahmadu Bello the Sardauna of Sokoto to one-year imprisonment; for misappropriating cattle tax (Jangali) funds, under Shariah law. He appealed under magistrate (Unislamic) court established by the British Colonial Masters, after the conviction. He was discharged and acquitted by the ‘leeway’ created by the British.

The Sardauna a ‘devoted Muslim’ became Knight of the British Empire. One wonders the propriety of a Muslim submitting himself to an unislamic and accepting initiation into unislamic culture and bearing the identity of same (Sir).

Ironically, one of the clauses of the precolonial treaties signed by the Emirs and Colonial Masters reads; “the said Africa National Company (Limited) bind themselves not to interfere with any of the Native Laws or Customs of the country”.

It was therefore an aberration by the Sardauna as a Muslim, to have resorted to non-Muslim court after conviction by a Shariah court. In like manner, the conferment of knighthood on him is more of a reward, for acts of corruption, as the acts of corruption are not defined in monetary terms alone, just like those societal aberrations cited by Uthman Danfodio, are not limited to Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline and Political Tyranny alone.

This inconsistency, wittingly or unwittingly set the presidence in Northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large, for the use of grant of pardon to convicted politicians by ruling elites in power, as a tool for reward, political bargain or settlement of political scores.

The following examples suffice:-

·        Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was released from prison to become minister during Nigeria-Biafra Civil War of 1967-70.

·        Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was released from prison to become President in 1998.

·        Late Chief MKO Abiola was pardoned posthumously and awarded the highest National Honour of the Land (GCFR) in 2018 to appease the Yorubas, as build up to 2019 election schemes.

·        Late Professor Ambrose Ali and other convicted politicians were granted pardon in 2020, as build up to 2023 elections unfold.

The above show that the Nigerian governments and the Colonial Masters have a pact with corruption which cascaded down as benefits to the Nigerian Political Elites.

Over 20years ago (1999 – 2020), the Northern Monarchs, Political Elites and leaders of thoughts mostly of the Fulani Muslims’ Group, have argued that adoption of Shariah as State Law will stamp out corruption and its vices, and hence enthrone prudence in governance and societal sanity, thereby enhancing developments in the states.

Consequently, twelve of the Nineteen Northern States adopted Shariah as their State’s law. To prove the zero-tolerance efficacy of the law, one Bello Jangede of Zamfara State was convicted of stealing a goat and had one of his hands amputated. Ever since then to date (over 20 years after), no one have been so convicted. Corruption and other societal ills continue to thrive as proved below:-

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State declared at the Northern Youths Summits of July 2019, as reported by Premium Times and the Nation Newspapers, they read: the North is backward similar to Afghanistan.

Ironically, Former Governor Ali Modu-Sheriff of Borno State, revealed before a team of broadcasters in Maiduguri, as widely reported by news media, that; “95 percent of the citizens of Borno State cannot read nor write”. He added that he was unperturbed by the few negative stories written against him in the newspaper; because 95 percent of the people of Borno State are illiterates.

To corroborate the above assertions, table 9 presents the analytical report: an assessment of disparity between the Northern and Southern Nigeria, in terms of educational development, and funding received by the Northern and Southern States.

Table 9 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Evaluation of Northern States Educational Development and Funding.

SEE ATTACHMENT PAGES

2a and 2b.

On the Political Scene: As a build up to 2015 election, the Fulani Muslims Political Elites contrived a mutual partnership with the Kanuri Muslim Political Elites, which in collaboration with the Yoruba Muslims’ Political Elites, gave birth to a political party (All Progressives Congress – APC).

Topmost founding members and national leaders of the party (15nos) are all Muslims as shown in the table below:

Table 2

The Fifteen (15) founding members of All Progressives Congress (APC) all Muslims from their Geopolitical Zones.

SN	POSIT. AS AT 2014	N/EAST	N/WEST	N/CENT.	S/EAST	S/WEST	S/S
1	Party leader North	-	Gen Mohammadu Buhari	-	-	-	-
2	Party leader South	-	-	-	-	Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu	-
3	National Chairman	-	-	-	-	Abdul- kareem Bisi  Akande	-
4	Deputy National Chairman	-	Aminu Bello Masari	-	-	-	-
5	National Secretary	Tijjani Musa Tumsah	-	-	-	-	-
6	Deputy National Secretary	-	Nasir El- Rufai	-	-	-	-
7	National Publicity Secretary	-	-	Lai Mohammed	-	-	-
8	National Treasurer	-	Sadiya Umar Faruq	-	-	-	-
9	National Financial Secretary	Alhaji Shuaibu Musa	-	-	-	-	-
10	National Youth Leader	-	-	Abubakar Lado	-	-	-
11	National Legal Adviser	-	-	-	-	Muiz Baniure	-
12	National Deputy Auditor	Bala Jibrin	-	-	-	-	-
13	National Women Leader	-	-	-	Sharia Ikeazor	-	-
14	Ex-Officio member	-	-	-	-	Muniru Muse	-
15	Ex-Officio member	-	-	-	-	Alhaji Yemi Sanusi	-
	Total	2	5	2	1	5	0

From the table 2 above, the North West with 5 members, shows that the party is basically a Fulani Muslim party in the North, while in the South it also shows that it is a Yoruba Muslim party in the South with 5 members too.

When President Buhari was elected in 2015, his appointments into top government leadership offices, branded the government basically, as a Fulani Muslims government in mutual fraternity with Kanuri Muslim Elites.

The Kanuri Muslims are no doubt a very strong Muslims force to reckon with, as all the attempts by Uthman Danfodio to annex the Borno Empire proved abortive. It is therefore ‘compulsory’ that the Fulani Muslim Elites have to partner with them politically. The Kanuris are proud owners of their land, they know what the Fulani know, and have what the Fulani have.

The Hausa Muslims are only in political reckoning as ‘programmable fanatical voters’ because, over 200 years of ‘mental slavery’ in the guise of Almajiranci, has made them synonymous to hunger, poverty, begging and destitution.  They are consoled by the Uthman Danfodio instilled doctrinal belief of being the best of Muslims (learners and teachers), and therefore, destined to paradise. They believe their poverty status (though their chosen dervishes) is Allah ordained.   

The table below show how the Fulani and Kanuri Political Elites shared top government leadership appointments to themselves, lopsidedly in stark disregard to federal character, and quota system enshrined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).

Table 3

ETHNICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY LOPSIDED DISTRIBUTION OF APPOINTMENTS.

Organization	N/E.	N/W.	N/C.	S/E.	S/W.	S/S.	Mus lims	Other
Armed Forces/Security	7	9	2	-	1	1	20	2
Judiciary Leadership	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	0
Principal Ministers (Muslims)	4	8	1	-	2	-	15	-
Principal Ministers (non-Muslims)	-	-	3	4	1	3	-	11
Total	11	17	6	4	4	4	47	13
Remark: The geographical zones for Mohammed Saliu Usman and Rufai Abubakar, Chief of Defence Intelligence and DG National Intelligence Agency respectively; were not available upon online searches. They are the 2 Muslims that add up to make 20 in number for the armed forces/security positions. On the positions of judiciary leadership, their zones are not in available records, but they are all known to be Muslims. More details are available in tables: 6, 8, 12 and 13.

Enactment of the British Indirect Rule: following the outbreak of World War II (1939 – 1945) the British Nigeria Colonial Forces were deployed to the war, such that there were insufficient troops to police the Nigerian Colony. There were outbreak of insurrections arising from the locals that gave the colonial authorities administrative challenges.

Consequently, Lord Fredrick Lugard secured higher commands’ approval to allow the locals to exercise the freedom to ‘limited self-determination’ that culminated to indirect rule. Thus the Fulani Sultan and Emirs became the British Northern Nigeria Colonial Masters by proxy.

The British consequently owed them protection obligation by virtue of the treaty clause which reads. “the said National Africa Company (Limited) bind themselves to protect the said king and chiefs from the attacks of any neighboring tribes”.

Thus, Sultan became ‘the favoured one’ of the British Colonial Masters and the Monarchy of Great Britain. At independence in 1960, Sir Abubakar Tafewa Balewa (a Fulani Muslim and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire); was designated (appointed) Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Also, Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna (a Fulani Muslim and Prince of the Sokoto Caliphate, also a Knight of the British Empire); with the collaboration of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (a Christian and an Igbo man), they formed the Federal Government and Bello became Premier of the Northern Region of Nigeria. He saw Nigeria as colony of the Uthman Danfodio’s Sokoto Caliphate, as the statement below credited to him affirms; it reads

“The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Othman Danfodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use minorities in the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them rule over us and never allow them to have control over their future”.- Late Sir, Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier Northern Nigeria). -Parrot Daily Newspaper October 12, 1960; Google search: Sarduana Parrot Newspaper.                                 

Balewa’s government was accused of massive corruption (the same corruption Uthman Danfodio used as basis to overthrow the Hausa Kingdoms) and was overthrown by Major Chukuwuma Nzeogwu, and Balewa was killed. General Aguiyi Ironsi; an Igbo Officer of the Nigerian Army that foiled Nzeogwu’s coup was called upon to lead Nigeria as Military Head of State, by the Federal Parliament.

Propaganda, as the Fulani Jihadists’ mass mobilization machine being the hallmark of Danfodio’s Jihad (Dr. Modu 21-22) and ‘anticorruption crusades’, the Fulani Muslim Army Officers/Elites orchestrated anti-Igbo campaigns that led to the killing and overthrow of Ironsi’s government. Since 1966-2020, General Gowon is yet to explain why he failed, as the then Chief of Army Staff, to court- marshal the arrested Nzeogwu coupists. This is an omission that became the fulcrum of the propaganda against General Ironsi and the Igbos, that led to mutiny in the armed forces, killing of General Ironsi and others, overthrow of the government and civil war.

General Yakubu Gowon (a Christian from a Northern minority tribe) led a genocidal war against the Igbo, apparently, to appease the Fulani Muslims and revert to the status quo (pre Nzeogwu’s Coup). All other incidental scenarios notwithstanding.

General Gowon succeeded Ironsi but his government was later accused of massive corruption and overthrown in 1975, with the active participation of officers of the middlebelt and Northern minority tribal groups both Christians and Muslims. Indeed Northern minorities were used as willing tools (words of Sardauna).

Brigadier Murtala Mohammed a Hausa Muslim Officer succeeded General Gowon. The Supreme Military Council immediately promoted him to a full General, apparently as part of restoration process, to a supposedly monolithic northern region.

No sooner, General Murtala was killed in a failed Coup attempt. The coupist simply said, “General Murtala deficiency has been detected”. Again officers of the middlebelt and Northern minority tribal groups irrespective of religion came to the rescue and foiled the coup (willing tools as usual).

General Olusegun Obasanjo succeeded Murtala. As continuation of the restoration to the status quo for the Fulani, Lieutenant Colonel Shehu Musa Yar’Adua was promoted by multiple leaps to Brigadier and appointed Chief of Staff to the Supreme Military Council and 2^nd in command to the Head of State, and later promoted yet to a Major General. General Yar’Adua as a Fulani and a Muslim, has obligations to continue the Jihad of Uthman Danfodio and be guided by tenets of the commandments of his tabital Pulaaku. To this end, so much goodwill, opportunities and benefits were directed at the Fulani in terms of economic and political power.

Consequently, General Obasanjo ‘democratically’ handed over power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a Fulani Muslim Elite, in 1979. President Shagari’s government was later accused of massive corruption (the same corrupt Uthman Danfodio used as basis to overthrow the Hausa Kingdoms). The government was overthrown and General Mohammadu Buhari a Fulani Muslim took over in 1983. The Fulani Muslims continue to consolidate their hold on power and levers of power.

General Buhari’s government was no sooner, accused of lack of unity of purpose, ill motivated power play, Tyranny, a cabal in government, and betrayal of trust (all amounting to acts of the same corruption). The government was overthrown in 1985, yet with the active participation of officers of middelbelt and Northern minority tribal groups (again the willing tools as usual).

General Ibrahim Babangida, northern minority tribal group Muslim succeeded General Buhari: this unsettled the Fulani Muslim Elites and Monarchs, and the Arab Muslims world. Consequently, in October 1985 Yesser Arafat led an Arab Muslims delegation to General Babangida, to express their concerns about the new political development in Nigeria and also find out if General Babangida was a good Muslim. The visit was aired on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and various Nigerian newspapers and magazines. Sequel to this, General Babangida completed the registration of Nigeria as a member nation to the organization of Islamic conference (OIC), which registration process General Tunde Idiagbon, the 2^nd in command to General Buhari was in Saudi Arabia to accomplish, as at the time of the coup against Buhari government (as reported by Newswatch and other Nigerian News Magazines in January 1986).

Naturally, the 8 years of General Babangida in government was spent appeasing and pacifying the Fulani Muslims’ Elites’ block of the Northern Nigeria.

On Northern need for modern civilization and Western education: Hausa Almajiri active participation in two deadly ethno religious riots in Northern Nigeria (1987 and 1992), were witnessed yet it was the nomadic Fulani children that were considered deserving of western education, to whom Schools on Wheel Programme was rolled out. The Hausa Almajiri continued to be nurtured, as a pool for recruitment, into insurgency and other antisocial activities, by ‘enemies of state’.

On return to Democracy: General Babangida annulled a Presidential election at the verge of emergence of the winner, clearly seen to be Chief MKO Abiola, a Yoruba Muslim from the south, whose contender was Alhaji Bashir Tofa, a Kanuri Muslim from the North. Alhaji Tofa was naturally the Fulami Muslim Elites and Monarchs favoured candidate. It was ‘ironical’ that Chief Abiola defeated Alhaji Tofa by popular votes even at his home polling state Kano: Abiola ran a Muslim – Muslim ticket, while Tofa ran a Muslim-Christian ticket. It was therefore to the chagrin of the Fulani Muslim elites and monarchs that: Tofa’s mixed ticket failed to sway voters even in Northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large. The annulment was therefore in their favour, to restrategise.

Consequently, an interim government was constituted with General Sani Abacha, a Kanuri Muslim as the ‘heir apparent’. General Babangida handed over the government to chief Ernest Shonekan as Head of State, and retired from the government and military service.

Chief Shonekan ‘voluntarily’ handed over the government to General Sani Abacha, the Kanuri/Fulani Muslim elites got what they were not able to get through the ballot. To accommodate the Fulani Muslim elites, he appointed General Mohammadu Buhari as Chairman Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), an autonomous agency of government with unlimited mandate over nationwide projects execution. He was answerable to only the Head of State, thus striking a power sharing pact between the Kanuri and Fulani Muslim elites. Instructively, 15years later, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu who superintended the June 12, 1993 annulled election; declared that the election was indeed won by Chief MKO Abiola. This confirmed that, indeed the Kanuri and Fulani Ruling Elites conspired to deny transfer of power to the Yorubas, through Chief Abiola.

The table 4 below shows the result and the voting pattern according to geopolitical zones and their states;

Table 4: JUNE 12, 1993 presidential election results by states

GEOPOLITICAL ZONES	TOFA – NRC	ABIOLA – SDP
North East	Bauchi Adamawa	Borno Yobe Taraba
North West	Katsina Kebbi Sokoto	Kano Jigawa Kaduna
North Central	Niger Kogi	Benue Kwara Plateau
South East	Imo Abia Enugu	Anambra
South West	-	Osun Lagos Ogun Oyo Ondo
South – South	Rivers	Cross River Akwa Ibom Edo Delta
FCT	-	FCT

Added to this, the incumbent President Mohammadu Buhari declared in 2018 that: indeed June 12, 1993 is recognized as the real democracy day to be observed in Nigeria. The highest National honour (GCFR) was also awarded to Chief MKO Abiola posthumously by his government. The above catalogue of events clearly proved that a conspiracy between the Fulani and Kanuri Muslim elites, robbed Chief Abiola of his electoral victory. It also proved that Nigeria’s political leadership problems are not tied to religion, particularly Islam.

General Sani Abacha died and General Abdulsalami Abubakar succeeded him in 1998. In order to make up for the inadequacy of the scheme that failed to sway Muslim voters in favour of religion, particularly the Northern Muslims, Shariah was imposed in the 1999 constitution (as amended) by General Abubakar’s government.

In order to assuage frayed nerves of the Yorubas and Nigerians in general, they pardoned General Olusegun Obasanjo of his treason, conviction and prison sentence on charges of treason under the late General Abacha. General Obasanjo, a Yoruba Christian, a known pliable former military head of state, that did much to restore to the Fulani elites their grip on power and its levers, including hand over of government to former President Shehu Shagari of their Fulani stock, under ‘unconvincing ballot victory’ was considered their dependable hiatus for unavoidable need to ‘allow’ power shift to the South, in particular the Yorubas. Consequently, General Obasanjo became the Fulani ruling elites presidential candidate against the Yoruba chosen candidate, Chief Olu Falae regardless of religion.

General Obasanjo was subsequently declared winner of the 1999 presidential election and he succeeded General Abubakar. There is no doubts that corruption festered in all facets of the Nigeria National Affairs. Consequently, President Obasanjo’s government created the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), as government agents of war against corruption.

A superintendent of Police Nuhu Ribadu, a Fulani Muslim was Chairman of the EFCC and performed so well that within 6years, he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of the Police (AIG).

Twelve (12) out of the Nineteen (19) Northern States of Nigeria declared Shariah as their states’ law, in a bid to inspire ‘cult-like’ followership, like in the days of Uthman Danfodio’s Jihad.

It worked for General Buhari because, ethnicity and religion became the major factors of voters decision, and Buhari’s voters continue to grow and maintain, save for 2007 that he splited the Northern Muslims block votes with Yar’Adua as evidenced in successive elections: 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 votes in his favour: 12,710,022, 6,605,299; 12,214,853; 15,424,921; and 15,191,847 respectively. However, there is nothing to justify this kind of followership in the 12 Shariah states particularly, because illiteracy, poverty and underdevelopment have continue to be the lots of their peasants since pre independence to date, whereas, their political elites and monarchs continue to grow in riches, affluence and opportunities, at the expense of their masses.

General Obasanjo kept fate with the Fulani elites by picking Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, a Fulani Muslim as his Vice President, with whom he substantially shared his presidential powers and duties. He kept the fate further, when he picked Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua another Fulani Muslim as his successor and eventually handed over government to him in 2007 under a highly doubtful electoral victory.

President Yar’Adua admitted to flaws in the process and instituted electoral reform as measure to avert future occurrence. He claimed he was going to make the war on financial corruption more effective. But on the contrary, he weakened the EFCC Act, and its prosecution became subject to approval of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Nuhu Ribadu was removed from the office and dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force under highly questionable circumstances and series of unsettling events, orchestrated by the government. Consequently, the EFCC that was known for effective prosecution of its cases, began to lose its cases in the law courts at alarming rates. Corruption was back as a lifestyle in the country once again.

Presidential powers and duties became personalized with President Yar’Adua, as he travels out of the country without handing over power to his Vice President (Goodluck Jonathan), a Christian from the South - South. At a stage there was so much lacuna in governance that the National Assembly had to invoke the ‘doctrine of necessity’ to get the Vice President to act as the President.

It was a payback time in 2007; just as the Fulani ruling elites imposed Obasanjo as Yoruba candidate to contest against their chosen candidate, so did Obasanjo also imposed Yar’Adua as Fulani candidate to contest against Fulani elites’ consensus candidate Atiku Abubakar (in the selection General Babangida was ditched just like Gowon: two heavily used ‘willing tools’ used and discarded).  

Consequently, the Fulani dominated Arewa Consultative Forum Leaders and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Former Vice President) repeatedly vowed and made good their threats to make Nigeria ungovernable should Atiku fail to clinch victory at the Presidential polls 2007. The then acting President Goodluck Jonathan won the election and ever since then, Boko Haram that commenced terror attacks on Nigeria since the early days of President Yar’Adua; intensified their attacks with audacity and added kidnapping to their escapades; Bombings, killings, displacement of persons and territorial seizures and occupation, continued unabated.

Just like there was no established definite destination for the Almajiri graduates, except participation in rioting, political thuggery and insurgency; so it is with the nomadic Fulani School on Wheels Programme graduates. Nomadic Fulanis known for moving around with cutlasses and sticks, became carriers of military weapons (AK-47 riffles). By year 2014 Nigerian Fulani herdsmen became notorious as the 4^th deadliest terror group in the world (that is about 24 years later of the school on wheels programme).

There were hardly arrests and prosecution of perpetrators. The Fulani Muslim elites and monarchs-maintained silence or make belated and bogus statements about the insurgents/attacks. Insurgency and corruption became front burner campaign issues pre 2015 Presidential Election.

Consequently, General Buhari won the 2015 election and succeeded Former President Goodluck Jonathan, as President and Commander in Chief. He promised to relocate the Military Command Center to Maiduguri until Boko Haram is completely subdued. This was not done since 2015 until 2020, when Chadian Forces began decisive routing out of the insurgents. The government busied itself with granting pardon to ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members and integrating them into the armed forces of Nigeria.

The government refused to declare killer Fulani herdsmen as terrorists, rather they advised Nigerians to give up their lands to the Fulani Herdsmen than risk being killed. They also engaged in sponsorship of bills like; Shariah across Nigeria, Grazing Routes/Reserves, Cattle Colony, National Livestock Transformation Plan, RUGA, (Fulani Settlements), Agency for Repentant Boko Haram Members.

In build up to the 2019 election, Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress Party (APC) former governor Adams Oshiomole declared that, “the APC is the party you join and your sins are forgiven”. This means that APC members are immuned to the law.

President Buhari continue to retain and operate with the same EFCC Act, that was purposefully weakened by Late President Yar’Adua. Thus, corruption, Tyranny, Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline (the very ills of the society Uthman Danfodio anchored his Jihad and ‘stood against’, on whose philosophy APC and Shariah States were born), and insurgency continue to fester even in the 2^nd term of President Buhari’s government (at least as at April 2020).

The Nigerian Masses, particularly those at the middelbelt, the Northern minorities, Hausa and Fulani peasants continue to remain at the receiving ends. Poverty, hunger and underdevelopment have become the hallmarks of governance in Nigeria, and the hub of economic exploitation by Britain. The Fulani political elites’ Levers of Power are; The British Government, Sultan and Fulani Elites, Kanuri Elites, Islam, Almajiri, Tabital Pulaaku, Miyetti Allah, Fulani Nationality Movement, Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen Worldwide and Propaganda as their mass mobilization machine.

By reasons of political advantages gained by the Fulani Muslim Elites, following victory over the Civil War that resulted in marginalization of the Igbos, successive Muslims controlled military and civilian governments, that gave them leverages over other federating geopolitical zones of Nigeria, added to the earlier advantages they gained from the British Indirect Rule of Northern Protectorate, the Nigeria geopolitical structure was consequently skewed, such that put them finally in charge of all levers of power in Nigeria.

North West geopolitical zone is seat of the Sokoto Caliphate, where the Sultan dictates ethnic, religious and sociopolitical affairs of the zone, and by inference the country Nigeria.

The table below shows the political and administrative structure of Nigeria as skewed in favour of the Fulani (Sokoto Caliphate).

Table 5: GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF NIGERIA

GEOPOLITICAL ZONES	LGA	STATES	REPRESENTATIVES	SENATORS
North East	113	6	48	18
North West	186	7	92	21
North Central	112	6	49	18
South East	95	5	43	15
South West	137	6	71	18
South South	125	6	55	18
FCT	6	Not applicable	2	1
Total	774	36	360	109
Key: LGA = Local Government Area.

 

Considering the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the National Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria (NCTRN), as stated in table number 1, the Council is therefore a quasi-parallel legislature, with the Sultan as de-facto ‘Supreme Speaker; alongside the National Assembly with its Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives.

From table 5 above, the numerical values assigned to North West gives ‘Sokoto Caliphate’ more advantages above all other zones, in terms of revenue sharing from the Federal Government, decision making over policy formulations, amongst several other issues of governance. All they need to always have their way, is to collaborate with North East Legislators. This automatically yield them 58% and 53% at the house of representatives and senate respectively, of the ²/₃ votes required for adopting any decision by vote or ballot. The complementary (winning) votes are easily acquired through various overt and covert actions. Finance of the country under their executive control also plays a decive role in the voting or balloting. Table 11 Sufficiently demonstrates this capacity.

To corroborate the above, Chief Justice of the Federation: Justice Mohammed Tanko, at the 20^th Annual Judges Conference held at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, in December 2019 said in a speech that, “As we all know, there are sections of the constitution that allows implementation of Shariah personal law and apart from that, we cannot do more. However, we have the number to amend the constitution to suit our own position as Muslims”. Apparently, he was advocating for application of Shariah Law across Nigeria and its teaching in Arabic language, contrary to spirit and letters of sections 10, 13 (3-4), 15 (2) (d) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

From the above, the Chief Justice of the Federation is telling the world that, the Muslim Fulani ruling elites have a guaranteed constitutional deciding-votes, at the National Assembly to do whatever they so desire to achieve. Tables: 5 and 7 sufficiently demonstrates this capacity.

With the above notion, there is not stopping the Ruling Muslim Fulani elites, from pursuing and executing continuation of the Fulanization of Nigeria, through Islamization of the country, over and against the Original Indigenous (Autochthonous) people of Nigeria, which ultimate is to make the Sultan the De-facto Supreme Leader of Nigeria, like the Ayattolah Khomeini of the Republic of Iran. Hence the complicity of the previous and present Muslim head of state and President respectively, by complementary overt and covert schemes and actions, as stated below:-

OVERT ACTIONS

• Arabic writings on Nigeria currency notes.                       
• Masterminded killing of General Ironsi and the pogrom against Igbos in the North in 1966 without justification (whereas there were Northern and South Western officers that participated in Nzeogwu’s coup).  
• Cancelling of Nigeria’s hosting of Miss World Beauty contest, by rioting to prove their dominance.                                       
• Seizure of Christians’ missionary schools and giving them Muslim identities.  
• Foisting the Civil Sharia on 1978 constitution.              
• Imposition of Criminal Sharia in addition to the civil sharia on 1999 constitution.
• Registration of Nigeria as member country of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).   
• Imposition of full-sharia laws in Northern States of Nigeria.   
• Establishment of Islamic Bank in Nigeria: Profit Sharing on executed loans replaces interest-free loans. If the aim is to access interest-free loans the aim is defeated. They alone know why they needed the Bank.
• Lopsidedness in favor of Fulanis, in creation of wards and polling units in Northern Nigeria.   
• Construction of the National Assembly Complex like a National Mosque, to portray Nigeria as a purely Muslim country.    
• Refusal to allow erection of Aso Rock villa Christian Chapel until former President Obasanjo changed the status-quo.        
• Quit notice to leave Nigeria was issued to Igbo people by the Arawa Youths of Northern Nigeria in an audacious manner with impunity. Nobody was held accountable.
• The use of “Born to Rule” as state’s slogan by Sokoto state at certain time.  
• Arabic inscription on logo of the Nigerian Army.   
• Those known to have openly opposed the Sardauna philosophy, fell as casualties of the Fulani dominant power play of the military era. They amongst others include:

-         Colonel Yahana Madaki, for expressing support for the ideology behind ‘Major Nzeogwu’s’ coup and his removal of a corrupt Emir from office.

-         Colonel Dangiwa Umar (one of the very few fair-minded Fulani elite), for showing support for the outcome of June 12, 1993 election in favour of MKO Abiola.

-         Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, for expressing disapproval over the surreptitious manner Nigeria was registered as member of OIC.   

• Declaration that Fulani world over are Nigerians by Bauchi State governor.     
• Rehabilitation of Boko Haram insurgents and recruiting them into the armed forces of Nigeria, as ‘repentant insurgents’ by the federal government.   
• President Buhari in his 2019 campaign rally at Zamfara; charged the people to eat, be full and ready for trouble making.    
• Presidency declaration that says “give your land to the Fulanis or they kill you”.    
• Presidency sponsorship of Hate Speech Bill.    
• Schools on wheel program for nomadic Fulani. 
• The stalling of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah’s offer to train 10 million Almajiri. 
• Extension of services of Armed Forces Service Chiefs despite the statutory elapse of their appointment and failure to defeat Boko Haram and Herdsmen Terrorists.    
• President Buhari, as Retired General and Former Head of State said on June 2, 2013; “Boko Haram members should be pampered and given VIP treatment not killed. Its injustice to kill them”.     

COVERT ACTIONS

• Membership of Islamic countries military coalition on “Terrorism”           
• Establishment of All Progressives Congress Party (APC)         
• Use of Almajiris to commit arson and murder on Churches, Christians and sometimes other non-Hausa/Fulani Muslims.                
• Establishment of militant Islamic group called Boko Haram.         
• Cancellation of open ballot system of election, which defy manipulation and rigging of elections.          
• Establishment of Fulani Herdsmen militia/terror group.   
• Establishment of Fulani Nationality movement (FUNAM).   
• Use of Tacit Support for Fulani Herdsmen militia and their atrocities against other Nigerians.    
• Cancellation of June 12, 1993 elections and the 2 party system that defied ethnic and religious biases.       
• Establishment of Miyetti Allah – group associated with Fulani Herdsmen Militancy.
• Establishment of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) for exclusive leadership of the Sultan.     
• Imposition of the Sultan as life President of Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI).    
• Emasculation of Local Governments by Northern States Governors, vide joint accounts.     
• Establishment of dry sea ports in the north for direct delivery of imports without inspection at southern sea ports of arrival, despite its vulnerability to national security.
• Federal Government’s launch of free visa entry to all Africans.    
• Declaration by the Sultan that; God is using insurgency in the Northern part of the country to punish Nigerians for their sins, as reported by Daily Post of February 21, 2020.    
• Ballot box snatching during elections without arrest or prosecution of culprits.   
• Declaration by APC Chairman Adams Oshiomole that states “join the APC and your sins will be forgiven”.   
• Establishment of Almajiri system of Islamic education in Northern Nigeria that permits detachment of children from their parents.
• Stampeding of Former President Goodluck Jonathan Almajiri school project to failure.    
• President Buhari appointed Permanent Secretary and Director Generals of Ministries and Parastatals ahead of appointment of ministers thereby stalling ministers’ capacity to make such appointments under their ministries.       
• Sentencing of 12 Nigerian soldiers to death, over their protest for being ill-equipped to fight Boko Haram.   
• Release without state pardon of Sanusi Lamido Sani; convicted of participation in murder of Late Gideon Akalu in 1995 at Kano.
• Same Sanusi was employed in a bank, appointment afterwards as Governor of the Central Bank and subsequently, Emir of Kano.   
• The Chairman Senate Committee on Army Sen. Ali Ndume, at the North East Security Summit said, “low budgetary allocation, number of soldiers and officers in the nation’s military, might be an indication that Nigeria was not ready to end the war (insurgency) soon”. Published by Punch.com 6, November, 2019.

The Southern Kaduna, Benue and Plateau original indigenous people and other indigenous Nigerians are forcefully losing their parcels of land and livelihood by every passing day, due to incessant attacks by invaders in the guise of herdsmen (who are generally known to be of Fulani ethnic origin). The acts of outright displacement/annihilation of the people and takeover of their lands are already happening.

Furthermore, Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen have launched a sustained ‘self-serving’ Jihad and genocidal war in Nigeria. World terror watch index placed them among the world’s deadliest terror groups. Their missions are: Territorial expansion and conversion of a secular state to an Islamic Caliphate; through conquest and other multifarious methods of conversion. Non-Fulani tribal groups and Non-Muslims are their principal targets. These terror groups have exhibited irrepressible potency of projecting their terror to all nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Knowing the exact number of lives and worth of property destroyed is practically impossible. The State has inexplicably demonstrated gross incompetence in their attempts at liquidating them. Worse still, lackadaisical disposition of the state as often demonstrated, have created sundry conspiracy theories. Worst of all, the state has admitted defeat, as the Commander-in-Chief unconventionally resorted to call for prayers instead of a determined resolved to crush and flatten the insurgents.

Summary of the foregoing show that, an ‘Islamic jihad’ and war of conquest has been raging in Nigeria by the “holy fighters” of Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen, both groups on expansionist land acquisition agenda. Boko Haram is purely on a forceful evangelization of its brand of Islam premised on 7th Century Wahhabism and territorial expansion, while the Fulani Herdsmen are on a cruel land grabbing expedition against the indigenous people of Nigeria. Both groups complement each other by intent and purpose.

       

Fulani Herdsmen do not have a specific enclave known as their original base. They are a lethal mobile terror group majorly operating in central Nigeria otherwise known as middle belt, a few states in the North East, North West and in selected areas South of River Niger. This group commits sundry criminal and heinous acts like; killing, rapes, destruction of farmlands, occupation of ancestral lands, and arson. They operate with the utmost standard of impunity.

The Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram have irrefutably demonstrated the capacity and potency of projecting terror to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. For example, the Islamic jihadists of Boko Haram have staged successful operations like year 2010 Independence Day bombing at Abuja and the year 2011 Christmas multiple bombings and lethal assaults in different states’ cities and locations, and the bombing of United Nations’ House in Abuja. On the other hand the Fulani herdsmen have sacked many farming communities, raped women and children, abducted scores of others, annihilated high profile citizens, and annihilated people in enumerable communities in Northern and Southern Nigeria.

As species of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen terrorism; armed banditry, theft, highway robberies, and kidnappings became frequent occurrences in communities, homes and the highways of the country. They have successfully kidnapped former Ministers, foreign nationals, members of houses of assembly, traditional rulers and ordinary citizens. There are instances where they staged their operations in the middle of big cities like Jos and Kaduna. Furthermore, their select group(s) is robbing towns and villages in north western states of Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and parts of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State. Their activities have completely shutdown a major route linking the North and the south through Birnin Gwari of Kaduna State.

These activities are supporting their hellish mission in two ways: one, diverting attention of the Nigeria’s already weak, insufficient and ineffectual security agencies from their strongholds and targets; two, providing the groups with finances to support their campaigns. Aside their other sources of financial support (internal and external), these activities are their major source of cash. Proceeds from these well-orchestrated criminalities enhance their capability to; procure arsenals, pay holy combatants, temporal settlement of family members of their trained suicide bombers, and hypnotization of gullible hearts in the process of recruitment. Kidnapping has become a multi-billion naira scheme that is outperforming legally organized and recognized businesses in Nigeria, as at today.

Various agencies of government and international organizations have come up with different figures in terms of worth of properties and number of lives lost. No figure has been indisputably accepted. Nevertheless, one can say that; hundreds of thousands of lives have been dastardly annihilated and billions of naira worth of properties, were completely destroyed, looted and vandalized.

International terror watch bodies have consistently rated Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen as terrorists organizations, and the Fulani Herdsmen is rated as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world, as at 2017 rating, while at the time Nigeria is rated as third most terrorized country in the world. Similarly, Global Terrorism Index of 2018 adjudged that Nigeria is the world’s third most terrorized country in the world and have consistently retained that ranking position for the past three years. That placed Nigeria behind Iraq and Syria; countries in a fullblown wars and ahead of Pakistan and Afghanistan, countries suffering from Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorism for over two decades.

Attempts and successes by armed forces of Nigeria and other security agencies to defeat Boko Haram and Herdsmen Terror groups have been catastrophic and abysmal respectively. There is no spec of doubt left to believing that the Commander-in-Chief and his generals are lacking in terms of a winning strategy and tactics. Before you read news of killing of a few Boko Haram fighters you must have read countless pieces of news of killings of Nigerian Armed Forces personnel or running over of Nigerian Military or Police Installations, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps; by Boko Haram and outright sacking of communities and villages by Herdsmen Terrorists.

The situation is glaringly embarrassing to the commander-in-chief, his top military brass, and other managers of the country’s security architecture and formations. Misinformation and Propaganda became the order of the day. To corroborate these points; the world was told that the country’s armed forces have “technically defeated Boko Haram”. When events proved them wrong, they shifted the post of their misinformation by saying; “they have been heavily degraded and decimated”. Unfortunately for them, whenever they make such bogus claims of their progress in the battlefield, the terrorists inflict deadlier assaults on the troops and disseminate records of the proceedings in the field. It has become so easy for the terrorists to the level that; they are able to carry out recordings of their live engagements with Nigerian armed forces like some Hollywood and Nollywood, American and Nigerian film shooting scenes respectively.  

GERMANE ISSUES

Protection of lives and property is atop the pyramid of the functions of any government. The Nigerian government is no exception. This quintessential schedule was the backbone of social contract that originated during the Hobbesian State of Nature. This tradition has walked through the annals of history from the medieval stages up to the contemporary state system.

Section 14:2b of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) states that: “Security and Welfare of the people SHALL be the primary purpose of government”. To demonstrate the seriousness of this function of government, pundits often judge that any government that consciously or unconsciously exhibits inability to come to speed with this function has no business governing the people. This is in order to keep faith with citizens’ guaranteed right to life, as enshrined in section 33:1 of the same constitution; it says “every person has the right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria”.

Section 14:2b of the Nigerian constitution referred to and as lifted was embedded with the word “SHALL”. In legal parlances where the word shall is invoked while enumerating a duty on the part of a party, it means MUST and a willy nilly. This holds with all legally engaged contractual agreements, as represented by the governance constitution. Deploying deductive reasoning, providing security by Nigerian state to its citizens and their property is therefore compulsory and a must-not-betray schedule.

All leaders that took oath of office under the Nigeria’s 1999 constitution pledged to protect, uphold and defend the constitution. In addition to taking the traditional oath, they reeled speeches reassuring citizenry of their determination to protect their lives and property. For example on 29th May 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari said “Having just a few minutes ago sworn on the Holy Book, I intend to keep my oath and serve as President to all Nigerians”. Even leaders of lower layers of authority who do not have full powers over security agencies do embark on the rituals of pledging to perform this queen role of government because they know that security outfits posted in their states work hand-in-hand with them and provide security services to them and their citizenry. Therefore, government must be seen to keep faith with this sacred obligation to its citizens, at all times.

QUINTESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Like Ronald Reagan once said: “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem”.

We, on this article are saying: in this present crisis, Fulani Muslim Elites are not the solution, Fulani Muslim Elites are the problem!

(i)          Is it a matter of complicity, complacency, collusion or incompetence in administration of security of the Nigerian state by those in the government or the absence of patriotism amongst the citizenry?

(ii)        What is the Nigerian government narrative all about; Farmers and Herders clash, instead of Fulani Herdsmen’s Genocide against indigenous Nigerians?

Answers to the above questions are as follows:-

Complicity; Family, Ethnicity and religion come first in this order, for a Fulani man, as exemplified by the motives and execution of the Uthman Danfodio Jihad that established the Sokoto Caliphate which thrives since 1804 till today. By their nature historically, the interests of Danfodio’s family come first, then their family race, before any other peoples’ interests. Reference Nigeria in the 19^th Century by Dr. Ibrahim A. Modu historical account.

Complacency; ‘Mutual Interrelationship’ between the Sokoto Caliphate and the former British Colonial Masters, bestowed on the Fulanis (The Caliphate) a reasonable measure of vestiges of the colonial masters’ power, influence and authority vested in The Sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate. Reference the National Question: Ethnic Minorities and Conflicts in Northern Nigeria by Dr. Simon Yohanna.

By virtue of this status quo, indigenous Nigerians remain vulnerable to furtherances of the Sokoto Caliphate Jihad by both formal and informal means. They would rather sustain the status quo than accept any act or commission that would alter the existing status. According to some Muslim authorities/scholars like Dr. Ibrahim A. Modu, Dr. Zamir Akhtar Khan and Prof. Toyin Falola, from their papers on concepts of Jihad and Muslim Monarchs; Islam is not just a religion, but a way of life in which there is no distinction between religion, politics, economics and law. Jihad is an obligation binding on Muslims.

The Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended) operates on dual ideologies of secularity and shariah (Islam). As a fact, the Muslim obligation at any given time is primarily to the shariah, then, conservatively to secularities, up to the limit of their comfort and convenience. The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), known as a group for the victory of Islam and Muslims serves as an umbrella organization for a variety of Muslim groups and interests. The Sultan is the Head of JNI. Boko-Haram and the Fulani Herdsmen reasonably fall within their Muslim groups and interests. The current command structure of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police and other Paramilitary organizations, Agencies and parastatals leadership are skewed; from the Commander in Chief to Service Chiefs and Heads of Paramilitary, they are lopsidedly in favour of Islam and Muslims, particularly those Muslims from the areas within Sokoto Caliphate. This fact is demonstrated by table 6 as follows;

TABLE 6: COMPOSITION OF ARMED FORCES, SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES PRESIDENTIAL TEAM AND APPOINTEE TEAM LEADERS (AS AT MAY 2019).

SN	OFFICE	NAME	MUSLIM			OTHERS
			North East	North West	North Central
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22	President and Commander in Chief National Security Adviser Aide De Camp to President Chief of Defence Staff Chief of Naval Staff Chief of Air Staff Chief of Defence Intelligence DG Directorate of State Security CG, Nigerian Customs Service CG, Nigerian Immigration Service Ag. Chairman EFCC Chairman/CEO NDLEA Ag. Inspector General of Police Director Security, FAAN Chief of Army Staff Minister of Defence Minister of interior CG, Nig Sec and Civil Defence Corps CG, Nigerian Prisons Service DG, National Intelligence Agency Chairman Board FRSC  Director/CEO Nig. Fin Intelligence Unit	Mohammadu Buhari Babagana Monguno Mohammed Abubakar Lawal Abayomi Olorunshakin Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas Sadique Abubakar Mohammed Saliu Usman Yusuf Magaji Bichi Hammeed Ali Babandede Muhammed Ibrahim Magu Mohammed Mustapha Abdullah Mohammed Adamu Usman Abubakar Sadique Tukur Yusuf Buratai Monsur Dan Ali Abdulrahaman Bello Danbazau Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu Ja’afaru Ahmed Rufai Abubakar Bukhari Bello Modibbo Hamman-Tukur	- ü - - - ü ? - - - ü ü - ü ü - - - - ? - ü	ü - ü - - - ? ü ü ü - - - - - ü ü - ü ? ü -	- - - - - - ? ü - - ü - ? -	- - - ü ü - ? ? - -
		TOTAL	7	9	2	2
REMARKS: The 1999 constitution (as amended) is guided by Islam and other secular ideologies, to carter for Muslims and Others, without compromising the secular status of Nigeria, which is guaranteed by Section 10 of the constitution to the effect that, there shall be no adoption of state religion by the Nigeria State or States. The existing security team made of 20 Muslims and 2 Others show that, the security team is lopsidedly constituted in favour of Muslims. There is no way the fight against Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen Terrorists who are fundamentally Muslims, will not enjoy some measure of sympathy and collaboration from the security operatives. This supports the allegation of collusion between the Armed Forces and the Armed ‘Bandits’ made by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma: former Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister Federal Government of Nigeria. NB: The geo political zones for Mohammed Saliu Usman and Rufai Abubakar, Chief of Defence Intelligence and DG, National Intelligence agency respectively, were not available upon online searches.

This lopsidedness on account of religious faith violates Section 217 (3) of the constitution which states inter alia that; “the composition of the officer corps and other ranks of the Armed Forces of the federation SHALL reflect the federal character of Nigeria”. By this arrangement, noble intentions and actions give way to primordial sentiments, in the borders of ethnicity and religion (Fulani and Islam respectively), instead of professionalism. Territorial expansion, occupation and dominance through Jihad being the primary objective of the Fulani Sokoto Caliphate, Boko-Haram and Herdsmen Terrorists, it is unarguably natural that the security operatives (under the command of Muslim Officers) would collude with the insurgents (Boko-Haram and Fulani Herdsmen Terrorists); hence the inability of the Nigerian state to successfully liquidate the Terrorists. To corroborate this assertion, Muslims have obligation under the Quran 9:29 to “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and his messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the scripture – (fight) until they give the Jizya willingly while they are humbled”. Furthermore, the Hadith Sahih Bhukari 52: 269 states that WAR IS DECEIT. It is therefore impossible for the present Muslims controlled security arrangement to operate faithfully in the interest of all Nigerians regardless of ethnicity and religion.

Incompetence: Without a foundation there is no building. Nigeria is not a country designed to be united, rather, it is set up for systematic acquisition by the Sokoto Caliphate, enhanced by the retention of vestiges of colonial masters’ powers resident with the Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate. Territories hitherto not under the Caliphate but were merged with the Caliphate during the indirect rule, were not liberated before the Nigerian Independence was granted and they remain in that bondage till today. According to Late Sheik Mahmoud Gumi (A Fulani Muslim Cleric); the concept of Nigerian unity is total Islamization (i.e. complete conquer and dominance by the Sokoto Caliphate).  A united Nigeria is therefore impossible and the state’s fight against Terrorists cannot be successful without national sincerity and interest.

For example:- Local Governments being the third tier of Government, closest to the people, that would have been in a position to provide or enhance certain Security Options to the people, have been deliberately incapacitated, through a compulsorily enforced operation of joint accounts with their respective state governors, at the whims and the caprices of their governors.

Nigerian Governors are reputed as being Chief Security Officers of their respective states as enshrined in the Constitution 1999 as amended, yet the Governors don’t command even the smallest unit or person of any of the Security Forces or Agencies.

Lack of Patriotism: Nigeria is governed by a constitution (1999 as amended), designed to operate under two competing ideologies vis; Sharia and Secular ideologies. The basis of national unity therefore, is already defeated and truncated ab initio. On the other hand, quota system as a policy of governance have destroyed the basis of competitiveness and merit; and created apathy amongst the citizenry. To buttress this, there is nothing anywhere to show that the founding Fathers of Nigeria: Chief Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief SAN Obafemi Awolowo and Sardauna Sir Ahmadu Bello; ever agreed unequivocally to a united Nigeria.

Considering the above, there is therefore no basis for patriotism amongst the various tribal people that make up Nigeria. The Danfodio family’s supremacy ideology often espoused by Fulani Muslim Elites; as exemplified by utterances and actions of their leaders like Late Sir Ahmadu Bello (quoted earlier), and others like Sheik Mahmoud Gumi, and present leaders like President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nasir El-Fufai, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Gen. Dan Alli etc who at various instances made divisive and supremacists statements that agree with the quoted Sardauna’s statement under reference, and the apparent support Terrorist groups like Boko-Haram and Fulani Herdsmen enjoy from these present Fulani Leaders in government further make patriotism impossible.

  

There is no debating the realism that the government of Nigeria has failed in discharging its traditional duty of safeguarding lives and property. And there are curious developments, actions and inactions of government that have generated multiple conspiracy theories that webbed the government. The roots of these theories have sank deep in the political soil of Nigeria and beyond, as stated above in answering the quintessential questions.

After the killing of hundreds of people in Benue state there was a national outcry and calls for President Buhari to declare the perpetrators (Fulani herdsmen) a terrorist group. The federal government of Nigeria; rather declined and instead declared the group as mere criminals.

There are instances where leaders of the herdsmen (Miyetti Allah) claimed responsibilities for committed acts of terror by their members in live television programmes. The government never arrested and prosecuted them. Furthermore, at the height of killings in Benue State, President Buhari ordered the Inspector General of Police to relocate to Benue State. The IGP disobeyed the order and he was not charged either.

The government would rather deploy several thousand police personnel to cover elections as exemplified in Ekiti and Osun States’ elections, where there were no wars, but chose to deploy only two thousand police personnel to the entire North East of six states which were under siege and ravages of war. With this disposition, how can the government exonerate itself from allegations of complacency in their handling of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen affairs or matters.

The president withdrew one billion dollar without appropriation in the name of fighting insurgents in the north east. But soldiers that spoke on condition of anonymity gave gory stories of inferior arsenals and poor welfare packages as their predicaments in the war front. The Chief of Army Staff unintendedly confirmed their stories by alleging that Boko Haram fighters are using drones and foreign mercenaries in their campaigns against Nigerian armed forces. If Boko Haram who are not richer than five local government in Nigeria can procure drones and engage mercenaries, Nigerian government have more than enough financial and legal muscles to outmatch them. Why is the government not doing even more of all that?

Mr. El-rufai governor of Kaduna State: on 3rd and 21st of December 2016 claimed that he traced and compensated Fulanis that annihilated people in Southern Kaduna; in Chad, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal and Niger Republics. Four years down the lane he has not told the nation how much he paid the killers. He has not unveiled the methods of payments. One thing is indisputable, there was no sub-head in the appropriation bill of 2016 or any year before then in Kaduna State, that justified the funding of that transaction. Ironically, while he exported needed money to ‘compensate’ killers, there is no single IDP camp set up by the state government to carter for victims of the terror. There was also no compensation for their farmlands destroyed and homes burnt down by the Fulani herdsmen.

The bewildered nation condemned and tagged the action as an act of felony. Groups stretched further by lodging official complains to the national assembly and the president.  Both the president and the national assembly were not forthcoming on the complaints.

The above catalogues of events and more, bear testimonies to the fact that, there are conscious letdowns through covert fraternity of the present government with these groups. The security team represented on table 6 show that the entire national security architecture is overwhelmingly, principally and functionally under the command, management and control of Muslims from North East and North West geopolitical zones and the theatre of war.   

THE GRAND DEBATE

Naturally, discussions on this matter partitioned pundits into two broad clusters; the traditional/alternative security proponents (Reformers), and the Realists. The Reformers favour institutional reforms and Reorientation of mindset of citizens of Nigeria. The Realists are postulators of the Nigerian version of American Second Amendment that legalized bearing of arms by every adult citizen of Nigeria and improvement in physical security management.

Let’s take a casual tour into some of their basic assumptions of these two approaches:

Traditional/alternative Reformers

They believe that Nigeria needs a police reform that will bestow them with physical and mental strength. And training and equipments that will equip them with the knowhow of 21st century crime fighting and policing. 

There is a need for total change of the political culture to enable the country produce leaders of honour that will tackle snags in the country.

Poverty reduction is another policy proposal of this group. They premised their assumption on the notions of “a hungry man is an angry man”, and “an idle man is a devil’s workshop”. They said poverty is a crime booster. Once people are constructively engaged, Boko Haram and other criminal groups would not get people to recruit.

Reorienting Nigerians on the importance of cultural diversity and moderate faith-based principles. Inability to embrace diversity in a complex and mixed Nigeria was judged to account for skirmishes and fracas in the country. That holds with citizens with extreme religious and self-conscious ethnic views that are willing to evangelize their faith or ethnic supremacy through a jihad or crusade.

Disabuse the mindset and psyche of personnel of the armed forces, police and paramilitary organization against harbouring ethnic and religious biases in the discharge of their duties.  Modernization of the armed forces of the country and purchase latest soft and hardwires. Like the police, they need further proper training to enable them measure up with the realities of the 21st century combat strategies and tactics. 

Referendum and restructuring were also presented as panaceas to the problem. Proposers of these opined that the country’s skewed political structures that gave the central government enormous powers that they are not discharging faithfully is a major cause of insecurity. That the surest and fastest way is through a referendum that will completely redesign the political and physical structures of the country.

The British colonialists’ amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914; recreated and empowered the Sokoto Caliphate as a semi apartheid system that subjugated people who were not conquered by any internal expansionist, to the rule of Uthman Danfodio’s Fulani ethno-religious political settings. And the British refused to set them free before lowering the Union Jack on 1st October 1960. This has triggered continuous bases for ethnic, religious and communal disharmony, conflicts and hostilities in the country, with the rulers of Sokoto Caliphate believing and acting the notion that Nigeria is a country destined for their ownership. These accounts for the present lopsidedly designed geopolitical structure engineered by Nigerian previous successive military governments prior to the enthronement of the present democratic governance. This fact is represented by the table number 5 and 7 (table 7 attached herewith as attachment 1).

PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT

This group believes that staging a sovereign national question to thrash out this fraudulent contraption is a sine qua non to defeating many of the security challenges in the country, and enhances unity and patriotism in the country.

THE REALIST CLUSTER

From the concepts of Jihad and War as espoused in Sahih Bukhari Vol. 4; 52:42 and 52:269 respectively, these Hadiths bestow on Muslims the obligation to obey the command of Jihad and admonishment of wisdom in deceitfulness respectively. I verily believe that the noble intentions and contexts of these Hadiths are being exploited and abused by the Elitist Descendants of Uthman Danfodio for their selfish benefits (Territorial Expansion, Power and Economic gains).

    

Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen terrorism in Nigeria have deprived several people the right to life which is number one on the list of Rights enunciated in chapter four (33) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and cited earlier.

The situation in Nigeria is depriving other liberties like the right to own property in section (43) and right to religion. The terror groups’ stealing and destruction of property of victims bar Nigerians from enjoying these rights.

Free flow of persons albeit inflow of terrorists from neighboring countries. Because of the existence of ECOWAS treaty; immigration personnel hardly carry out a thorough check on people flooding into Nigeria from member states. Worse still, the Federal Government have declared free visa entry to Nigeria, for all Africans effective February 1, 2020.   

There is the need for complete withdrawal by Nigeria from ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their ammunition and other related materials treaty of 14^th June 2006.

The realists are also advocating for complete abrogation of the Firearms Act 146 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1990. This law is the greatest barrier to safety of Nigerians and the biggest threat to all liberties enumerated in chapter 4 of Nigerian’s 1999 constitution referred hereinbefore. Sections of this Act like; sales, transfer, acquisition, import, export, manufacturing and repairs are worse than any draconian decrees one can think of in the entire history of mankind.

JUXTAPOSING AND WEIGHING THE ASSUMPTIONS:

Economy, judicial, police and social reforms are no feasible solutions; as the self-acclaimed Jihadists are inspired and driven by faith they believe to be divine. Some people in the society and government share this same faith, hence the noticeable lackadaisical attitudes in government disposition and complacency in the war on terror, this is besides institutional inadequacies.

This problem is more rooted in social factors than any other consideration, which solution is not foreseeable in the near future. This fact is corroborated by President Muhammadu Buhari himself when he declared that the terror problem has defied every solution and that Nigerians should only pray to God. The same President in a video clip during his campaign rally at Zamfara in 2019, charged the people to eat, be full and be ready for trouble making.  This means that as far as terror in Nigeria is concerned, it is a matter of everybody to himself and God for all. Arms Bearing by all willing citizens of Nigeria is therefore the only option available to effectively checkmate the menace of terror against the Nigerian people. The task of realizing this option is going to be onerous, as the existing Firearms Act of 1959 and subsequent Acts thereafter, are so prohibitively skewed that approving authorities are guided by personal discretion instead of Law in its absolute sense. The Act only gives government and those in their good books the monopoly of Arms Bearing. All that ethnicity and religion induced terrorists like Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, Kidnappers, Arsonists and Armed Robbers need to own arms; is to have people that share in their Belief, Sentiment or Motive, either as religious or ethnic bigots, or as criminally minded persons in government/authority. This has irredeemably made Law abiding Nigerians to remain victims and at the mercy of Terrorists and Armed Robbers/Bandits.

Arson and physical pull down of structures has been amongst the major features of the terror groups, wherever they choose to strike. Without the existing difficult and whimsical conditionalities in the Firearms Act, the citizens would be in position to arm themselves and defend their lives and properties much effectively than the security institutions of the Nigerian State charged with the responsibilities.

Judicial approach may not be realistic in view of existing reality demonstrated by table number 8 as follows:-

TABLE 8: COMPOSITION OF LEADERSHIP TEAMS OF JUDICIARY AND LEGISLATURE

SN	OFFICE AS AT JULY 2018	NAME	MUSLIM	OTHERS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13	Chief Justice of the Federation Minister of Justice President Court of Appeal Chief Judge, Federal High Court Chief Judge, High Court FCT Chairman, National Judicial Commission Secretary, National Judicial Commission Chief Registrar, Supreme Court Chief Registrar, Court of Appeal Director General, Legal Aid Council Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria  Speaker of House of Representative Nigeria Clerk of the National Assembly	Tanko Mohammed Abubakar Malami Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa Adamu Abdu-Kafarati I. U Bello Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed Ahmed Gambo Saleh Hadiza Uwani Mustapha Aliyu Ibrahim Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan Femi Ggaja Biamila Mohammed Sani-Omolori	ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü	- - - - - - - - - - - - -
	TOTAL		13	0
REMARKS: Leadership of the judiciary, as appointees of the President has an absolute 100% dominance by Muslims, while the National Legislature of the Senate and Representatives are also led by 100% Muslims. Although Section 10 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended) states inter alia that “government of the federation or of a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion”, the constitution operates on dual ideology for Muslims under Shariah and Others under secularity. Where there is existing lopsidedness in appointments in favour of Muslims against Others, there is no way neutrality, fairness and equity can be achieved in dealing with matters that involve Muslims and others, in which they have a stake like it is the case with Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen basically Muslims quest for territorial expansion being expressed by terror.

The table number 8 above clearly show absolute lopsidedness in terms of religion in the appointment/allocation of Judicial offices/officers respectively. So long as the leadership remains absolutely/overwhelmingly of the Muslim faith, and Boko Haram/ Fulani Herdsmen represent struggles for extension of the caliphate territories, it is not feasible that these laws will be reviewed without engagements with relevant authorities from within Nigeria and the international community.   

NOTATION:

Ihya Al Sunna-Hijiria denotes emigration of the Prophet (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina with his disciples for them safety and/or convenience in the cause of Allah. They were not detached or ejected by their parents for the cause.

There is nothing that relates Muhajirun with the Hausa version Almajiri (where children are ejected by their parents completely) in reports attributed to the Prophet (PBUH). A student remain a student and an emigrant remain one, as such. The parent or guardian of a minor must never indulge in anything that cause harm to a child. Therefore, to eject a child at a very tender age, to learn the Qur’an, as an act outside to a personal desire of such a person.

The Almajiri child grow without family emotions, exposed to worst forms of human debasement and resentfulness at the society. They are consoled by the Islamic doctrine that says, “the best among you is he that learns the Qur’an and teaches it”. They look forward to being Mallams in future, as paradise for them is sure. They also look forward to any day of Jihad and the sharing of booty that goes with it, at the command of their Mallams, who are susceptible to inducement for any quota for fomenting trouble. They come handy to Fulani Elites in power, authority, or those in affluence and corridors of power, who want to assert themselves on others by all means: including thuggery and violence. Hence it is common and easy for politicians like General Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Prof. Ango Abubakar, etc to threaten making Nigeria ungovernable and actually achieve it.

The Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III statement that, “Almajiri that were sent to distant places locations from their homes by parents, only to deviate to being beggars don’t represent Islam but hunger and poverty”. This statement does not condemn ‘the act by parents; of detaching their children at very tender age, as an act outside the Qur’an and precepts of the prophet of Islam. This could only means that he approves it, as neither did he condemn the non-funding of the school disputes availability of Zakkat (obligatory) and Sharia states’ government revenue, as the very lapses that impose begging on the Almajiris. According to Mazhab Ja’fari, the payment of Zakkat or Khums is obligatory and one of the pillars of Islam. The Sunni Muslims are to pay a taxation of ¹/₄₀ of their total wealth annually, while the Shia Muslims are to pay ¹/₅ taxation annually on all net of their gains and wealth leftover. These revenues are to be shared among the orphans, needy and other beneficiaries, for which the Almajiris and their educational system are qualified. But how would Island, proclaimed as a religion of peace and Emirs that should be the ambassadors, be seen sponsoring the Almajiri and their education, and at the same time be associated with the very system that has become the breeding grounds for recruits, into Antisocial and Terrorists activities? This explains the reason why the Almajiri Education System Inspectorate (that report to the Emirs) was jettisoned and the Almajiri system was allowed to nurture itself and thrive without an institution that takes responsibility for their conducts.

Sheikh Uthman Danfodio’s Inspectorate of Almajiri education were accountable to the Emirs. The Emirs jettisoned it, not the Colonial Masters, because the Colonial Masters bound themselves by their treaty: not to interfere with the people’s laws are customs for over 100years that the Colonial Masters left Nigeria, the Inspectorate remained jettisoned.

The Fulani Muslim Monarchs are the ultimate beneficiaries of the territorial expansions and land-grabbing by the insurgents and Herdsmen exploits, yet they detach and distance themselves from the groups’ activities though this is precisely what their great great grandfather Uthman Danfodio did, to make them what they are in Nigeria today. This means that they believe the actions are not right, but they show no commitment to stop them either. Their political elites thrive under it, as they spend security votes without accountability, and use the monopoly of violence to assert their political relevance in the bargain for power sharing and control. This is why they would rather nurture and escalate these precursors to terrorism than to stop them.

Except with knowledge and sanction of her Britannic Majesty’s Government, the Chiefs/Emirs are to refrain from entering into any correspondence, agreement or treaty with any foreign nation or power. They are to act upon their advice in matters relating to the administration of justice, the development of resources of the country, the interest of commerce, or in any other matter in relation to peace, order and good government, and the general progress of civilization. The British owned National Africa Company obtained a Royal Charter which meant that, the company was not just a trading concern; it had conferred on it certain powers of government and law making, as well as powers to raise and maintain armed forces for the effective pursuit of its trade as well as for the maintenance of law and order.

In addition, the Emirs and Chiefs entered into a protection treaty, which grants the company full and absolute jurisdiction, over all persons within the territories who are not “our native-born subjects”.

We shall place our territories, if and when called upon to do so by the company, under the protection of the Flag of Great Britain. And that, “we also give the said Africa National Company (Limited) full power to settle all native disputes arising from any cause whatever. In considerations of the foregoing, the said Africa National Company (Limited) bind themselves not to interfere within any of the native laws or customs of the country, they also bind themselves to protect the said Kings (Emirs) and Chiefs from the attacks from of any neighboring tribes.

Evident from the above, Nigeria Independence from Britain is a mere charade, as the Indirect Rule bestowed on the Sokoto Caliphate of Northern Nigeria in the Colonial era (now represented by the Sultan), naturally evolve into a bond of unbroken cohort relationship between them and the British government. This explains why Britain never showed meaningful interest by words or action(s) aimed at stopping Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen Terrorism and ethnic cleansing aimed at land-grabbing and territorial expansion by sponsors of the acts.

·         Before the Colonial Masters handover power and left Nigeria, they had already groomed those who would replace them and continue to do exactly what they had been trained to do. Hence the appointment (not election) into offices of the President, Prime Minister and Premiers, this is why today, Fulani Muslims Political Elites and their socio-cultural group leaders of (Arewa Consultative Forum, Miyetti Allah and Fulani Nationality Movement) refers to office of the president of Nigerians, “our presidency”.

·         Uthman Ibn Danfodio was of the view that societal aberrations like Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline and Political Tyranny, were the justifications for his Jihad over Hausa kingdoms: but his attempts at annexing the Kanem Borno Empire; where Sheikh Elkanemi was onground shepharding the people Islamically, negates the truth and sincerity in his claims.

·         After 114years of Danfodio’s reigns over Hausa land, summary of his legacies were captured as follows: The handover notes Lord Lugard wrote to his colleague, Walter H. Lang, on the 25th of September 1918. The quote reads inter alia:

The Hausa-Fulani has no ideals, no ambitions save such as sensual in character. He is a fatalist, spendthrift and a gambler. He is gravely immoral and is seriously diseased that he is a menace to any community to which he seeks to attach himself.

·         Similarly, according to a verdict by Lady Sherwood Smith in 1948 that reads, “of places like Borno, Kano, Katsina and Sokoto, where literacy was highly valued and scholars were venerated, that compared with other regions the North was extremely backward”. From being the most literate territory in the nineteenth century to become the most illiterate, as a result of the spectacular cultural upheaval which had taken place (that is Danfodio Jihad).

Generally, Fulani children were better cared for, and were consigned to being nomadic Cattle Herdsmen. Therefore, the above comments of the colonial masters and outcome of the case study at Gombe Metropolis, reveal the overall predicaments of Hausa children. The study shows that: 46.25% of the Almajiri were brought by their parents; 56% of the Almajiri never received visit from their parents; 56% of the Almajiri sometimes sleep without eating: 87.5% of the Almajiri do labour for their Mallam; Almajiri who suffer neglect the most are within 4-14 (70.75%) years old, Ironically, since 1948-2020 being 72years of Lady Sherwood verdict, the story is still the same, even after 60 years of Independent Nigeria.

a.   The Hausa Almajiri Education is related to insurgency and the Town/Nomadic Fulani Education (School on Wheels) is related to Herdsmen Terrorism.

b.  The Town Fulani (Elites and Monarchs) children are exposed to Western Schools and learning the Qur’an within their home dwellings and vicinity. Some of them even attended Christian Missionary Schools. And for over 200years the Hausa held tenaciously onto the ideology that, “Western Education is a sin (Boko Haram) and nurtured it by a song: Yan Makarantan Bokoko, ba karatu, ba sallh, sai yawan jagin mallam (pupils of western schools don’t read, don’t pray; they only spend time insulting Qur’anic teacher). This kept the Hausas off the track of Human Development in every facet of life except; illiteracy, poverty, hunger, diseases, strife and insurgency, and they form the largest part of estimated 10million out of school children in Northern Nigeria. This is the price they are paying with their lives for accepting the Uthman Danfodio’s deceptive anticorruption Crusade.

c.   Thus, the Danfodio incursion in Hausa Land obliterated the Hausa people from the scheme of things at Local Government, State and National Levels.

This is a clear indication that the Ruling Fulani Muslim Elites and Monarchs are here simply to plunder resources of the land and exploit the original indigenous people of Nigeria. The Hausas are their first victims. The National Bureau of Statistics report (1957-2017) over 60years: table 9.

Prior to 2015 Presidential Election, Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had threatened that, “those who make peaceful change impossible, make violent change inevitable”. By divine providence, there was a voluntary and peaceful change of power rather than mitigating the violence and terror that existed, insurgency and terrorism continue unabated, since 2015 to (at least) May 2020 and still festering. Land-grabbing across Nigeria for the Fulani Tribal Group remain the top preoccupation of the government. This points to complicity by complementary actions of the government.

The Muslims Authorities may phaseout the current Almajiri System now, or formalize the system. Boko Haram may also be dismantled, but none the less, they have served their purpose, in terms of land acquisition by/for the Fulani, through forceful territorial expansion, land-grabbing and balkanization of communities along ethnic and religious divides.

This Fulani military expedition is now in a phase of changing the demography of Nigeria, either through a spontaneous military action by the Fulani Militia garrison command structures across Nigeria or massive flooding of the country with Fulani Militias across the world, hence the free visa entry policy ‘for all Africans’ enacted by the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the daily seen exodus of ‘Almajiri’ down Southern parts of Nigeria.

Uthman Danfodio and family used Islam to takeover Hausa land. The Hausa children were used as itinerant Almajiri, and as canon fodders in the war for Fulani land-grabbing and territorial expansions. Their benefit is only limited to share in ganima (consumable war booty), while the Fulani become the land owners and administrators of the new territories.

The National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) Bill 2008, may or may not have been passed into law. Nevertheless, the fact that the NCTRN has been constituted, means that the government’s determination to achieve the aims and objectives of the bill remain the same. In the same manner the government’s policy on free visa entry to Nigeria for all Africans, will achieve territorial expansions and land acquisition for the Fulani, which the government failed to achieve through Bills for Free Grazing, Routes/Reserves, Cattle Colony, RUGA (Fulani settlement locations) and National Livestock Transformation Plans (NLSTP).

Table 10: Below represent statements by President Muhammadu Buhari and Sultan Abubakar Sa’ad III, both as Fulani Muslims and retired generals of the Nigerian Army, to evaluate their belief or not for a one-united-Nigeria.

SWORE TO UPHOLD	PULAAKU   (FULANI CULTURE)	THEIR STATEMENTS/ ACTIONS
CREED OF THE NIGERIA ARMY "I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in close combat. THE NATIONAL ANTHEM: Arise, O compatriots, Nigeria's call obey To serve our fatherland With love and strength and faith The labor of our heroes past Shall never be in vain To serve with heart and might One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity   THE NATIONAL PLEDGE: I pledge to Nigeria, my country To be faithful, loyal, and honest To serve Nigeria with all my strength To defend her unity And uphold her honor and glory So help me God.	THE 8 COMMANDMENTS: 1. Wata a hersa: never belittle yourself, never provoke self-shame, never let others mock you 2. Wata a hula: never be scared/cultivate courage 3. Wata a fena: never lie 4. Wata Wujju: never steal 5. Wata jaanfo: never betray 6. Wata taj enndam: never cut ties that join beings 7. Wata firtu aadi: always keep your word, respect your word 8. Kala ko hebaa ena rennda: share, cultivate generosity	President Buhari, as Retired General and Former Head of State said on June 2, 2013; “Boko Haram members should be pampered and given VIP treatment not killed. Its injustice to kill them”.      Sometime in August 2001, he said: “God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of Sharia in the entire Federation of Nigerian”. Sultan is reported to have declared in his speech at Harvard as follows, “I do not recognize any constitution but the Qur’an”. He also equipped in Harvard that “we shall get what we want, I want to assure you”. He said “God is using insurgency in the Northern part of the country to punish Nigerians for their sins”

The above leaders’ statement/actions are not in sync with their sworn-to citizenship and professional virtues; but in conformity to the Pulaaku commandments.

             

Instructively, the allegation of lopsidedness made against the Presidency in terms of 100 Appointees and their geopolitical zones and the Presidency’s rebuttal in terms of Full list (156 not 159 nos as claimed) of appointees and their geopolitical zones do not address the existing reality of the lopsidedness in terms of their command and authority, over State-Security and Economy administrations. Analyzing the lopsidedness based on combined appointments of Principal Ministers, State Ministers and other Sundry Presidential appointments: only conceals the Principal Ministers/Officers and their offices that actually drive the security and economy of the nation state, but gives the simple impression that the appointments were ‘fairly’ spread out or not, whereas, the real power of state control, management and administration of security and economy are heavily lopsided in favour of North West  and North East geopolitical zones, by consigning the Principal Ministries and Principal Security Command Offices to the North West and North East as shown on Tables 6 and 12. State Ministers and all other appointees (whether civilians, armed forces, security, etc) are all subordinate to the Principal Ministers.  The Principal Ministers are the main Drivers of the nation’s security and economy. They decide what happens and who gets what. Therefore, the work on this paper have been based on Effects of Actions and Influences of the President and his appointee Principal Ministers, Service Chiefs and Heads of Security/Intelligence Agencies and Heads of: Judiciary/Legislature/Judicial and Legislative Administrations. It is therefore not enough to only fairly spread out appointments. Power and authority must be fairly spread out, to conform with the principles of fairness, National Unity, Equity and Justice, which are the principles, federal character as enshrined in the constitution is intended to achieve.                        

CONCLUSION

The narrative by Muslim Scholars like Prof. Idris A. Abdulqadir, Habu Kale Tijjani, Dr. Usman Abbo and Zawiyah Mohd Zain; that the Northern Nigeria Almajiri became beggars thereby being vulnerable, to use by sponsors of antisocial activities, because they were abandoned by Local and State Authorities, is not correct. Because the Almajiri Inspectorate established by Uthman Danfodio made them answerable to the Emirs. As Islamic Institution of learning, the Muslim Umma (community) have obligation to sponsor them by their payment of Zakkat and other forms of obligatory financial donations. The Colonial Masters did not tamper with that, because they bound themselves by a clause of their treaties with the Emirs, not to interfere with the Native Laws and Customs of the people. It is now 60years of Independence and the Almajiri Beggar status remained the same. Furthermore twelve (12) of the Northern States are Shariah (Islamic) states for 20years now, without changing the status quo; yet those states have obligation as Islamic governments to apply their state revenue in sponsoring the Almajiri Educational System, but they never did. The Emirs and State Authorities simply divorced/distanced themselves from the Almajiris for their own ‘comfort and convenience’.

The Almajiris ultimately became ‘tools’ of Antisocial Vices including Terror. They remain handy to politicians and enemies of state, under the full glare of the Emirs and State Authorities. Their stance amount to tacit support for activities of the Almajiris, who are mainly Hausa children who were detached (ejected) from their families’ homes, based on misrepresentation of the doctrine of Danfodio’s Ihya AlSunnah-Hijira (concept of the emigration of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) from Mecca to Medina). This unislamic practice encouraged polygamy (through Islamic but conditional) and mass production of children (ejectable) by the Hausa Peasants, thereby raising a breed of ‘foot soldiers’ for use in the battles for Territorial Expansions, Political Thuggery and Power play by Fulani Muslims Political Elites/Agents of the Sokoto Caliphate.      

It is instructive to note that Fulani children are not found amongst the itinerant (emigrant) Almajiris but the Hausas. Thus, for over 200years of Danfodio’s incursion on Hausa land: the Hausa men became glued to poverty and the dregs of life, while children of the Town Fulanis, and the Fulani Monarchs receive Western Education and become Elites of the society: Political and traditional Leaders.

The Fulani Nomads transverse the bushes, grazing cattle owned by the Town Fulani Elites and Monarchs. It is therefore a Master Slave relationship, where the Town Fulani Elites and Monarchs are the masters, while the Hausa as a people and nomadic Fulanis are the slaves. It is this same master slave relationship the Fulani Muslim Elites and Monarchs seek to extend and perpetuate over the rest of the Original (Autochthonous) people of Nigeria, through land-grabbing: by terrorism domination of political power by monopolizing the levers of power and conquest by coalition of Fulani mercenaries worldwide.

For over 200years, poverty, insurgency and underdevelopment; despite the availability of huge revenue and resources under their management, have become lots of the people of Northern Nigeria. Corruption and mismanagement has remained the hallmarks of their leadership. As the forebearers of Uthman Danfodio, Nepotism, Moral Indiscipline and Political Tyranny has remained their stock in Trade. They chose not to live by the much-espoused virtues of Islam: peace, truth and justice, but pretense, deception and propaganda.           

From a thriving hub of literacy, scholarship and businesses: Slave Trade, Cotton Production and supplies of labour, that the Hausa land, and people were known for, Uthman Danfodio’s reign over their land since 1804 to date, only impoverished them, according to verdicts by:-

·         Sir Fredrick Lugard on 25^th September 1918 (114years after): the Hausa Fulani have no ideals, no ambition, but are falistic, spendthrift, gambler, gravely immoral and seriously diseased, and a menace to any community they seek to attach themselves. This writer believes that it refers more to the Fulani, as Lady Sherwood puts it clearer below.

·         Lady Sherwood Smith in 1948 (114years after): from being the most literate territory in the 19^th century to become the most illiterate, as a result of the spectacular cultural upheaval (the Danfodio Jihad) which had taken place.

·         After 213years, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 1957 – 2017 (60years) assessment of Education Development in Northern Nigeria show that:-

            i.        North West and North East has 20% and 25% respectively on girl children education, against 85% each for South East and South West, and 75% for South-South.

          ii.        In year 2014 population, Yobe and Imo States had 2.8 million and 4.7 million respectively, but their literacy level scores were 7.23% and 96.43% respectively.

        iii.        Funding received, for Yobe and Imo States were N30.95 Billon and N29.85 Billion respectively.  

         iv.        The last 8 positions form the least (36^th – 27^th) are from the North, while the first 10 positions (1^st – 10^th) are from the South.

           v.        Former governor Modu Sheriff of Borno State said rather without regrets, that he is not bothered that 95% people of Borno State cannot read.

Items i-v reflect the type of leaders and leadership to expect in a future Islamic Republic of Nigeria, being vigorously pursued by the same Uthman Danfodio breed of Political Elites and Monarchs.

The above data (i-v) show that despite better funding of the Northern States education, they remained the most backward. Suffice to state that no people grow better than their educational level.

After 215 years; according to Governor El-Rufai, “we have to speak the truth to ourselves and ask why is it that Northern Nigeria has development indicators similar to Afghanistan, a country still at war? “he said:-

·        We have the largest number of poor people in the world.

·        Nigeria has the largest number of out of school children in the world, virtually all of them in Northern Nigeria.

·        The North is the centre of drug abuse, gender violence, banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, high divorce rate, and breakdown of family.

All of the above bullet points show that the educational backwardness of the North is a leadership choice. Therefore, the premise upon which quota system and federal character policy of governance are contrived is deceptive.

The narrative credited to the Minister of Information Lai Mohammed and Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbe; that describe the wanton killings in Nigeria as farmers/herders clash, is not correct, because in a situation were people are killed in their homes mostly at nights, in repeated manner, cannot be correctly described as conflict but outright murder and genocide.

Conversion of Minors into the Islamic faith by whatever means is unjustifiable as it could not be said to have been borne by free will. The following examples suffice:-

·        Ibrahim Saleh aka Danbana 9 years old at Makarfi Road Tudun Wada Kaduna 1970.

·        Sylvia Isaac Kassa aka Mama-lee 16 years old at Katsit Kafanchan Kaduna State 2009.

·        Leah Sharibu 14 years old at Dapchi Yobe State On February 19, 2018.

·        Etc   

Displacement of indigenous Nigerians from their native homelands and takeover of their lands or preventing them from going back to their homes or farms have been the characteristic features of ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria. The following examples amongst several others suffice:-

·        Kaduna: Rigasa, Sabon Gari, Angwan Sanusi, Anjo (Jama’a LGA), Iri,kutura, Kujeni, Kankomi, Gindin Gada (all in Chikum LGA),  etc

·        Plateau: NTV village along Barkin Ladi Bokkos Road, Kufang, Hiyay, Mase, Sharu, Kadok, Dogo, Angyo, etc   

The creation of grazing reserve, only to convert same to a permanent settlement and village home for the Fulanis is institutionalized land robbery by government against the indigenous land owners. For example Laduga is a Fulani village today in Kachia Local Government in Southern Kaduna, within the grazing reserve: 30,000 hectare was initially carved out as the grazing reserve and was later increased to over 100,000 hectares surreptitiously.  

As a universal fact, all emerging societies undergo struggles for power and its control. Absolute power corrupts, and it corrupts absolutely.  Examples abound with leaders like; Samuel Doe of Liberia, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Sani Abacha of Nigeria and a host of others. This is the case in every corruption infested country such as Nigeria. This informed the need for the establishment of Anti-Corruption Agencies such as ICPC, EFCC, NFIU and a host of others, to mitigate the scourge of corruption in Nigeria. From the history of Hausa kingdoms of Nigeria to the present state of Nigeria as a nation, Peasants, Masses and other down trodden people that form dregs of the society who constitute the overwhelming majority of the society, continuously bear the brunt and dehumanizing burdens of corruption.

The masses are ever willing and ready to support or go with whoever could be identified as agent of change that could lead them to eliminate or mitigate the scourge or burden of corruption.

The Uthman Danfodio Sokoto Jihad of 1804 used Anti-Corruption rhetorics to get the buy-in of the masses, to support the uprising that rooted out the Hausa Kings and their Kingdoms, and established the Sokoto Caliphate and Emirates. New owners of power and control were thence established. They dictate the pace of production and administration of economy of the people.

Corruption continue to be the bane of the masses, up to the creation of the Nigeria state, as a British colony, its independent nation and present day democratic nation.  Rhetorics on corruption by power seekers continue to be a rallying point:-

·        Chukwuma Nzeogwu’s Coup of 1966 was premised on anti-corruption.

·        Murtala Mohammed Coup of 1975 was also premised on anti-corruption.

·        Muhammadu Buhari’s Coup of 1983 was as well premised on anti-corruption

·        Again Muhammadu Buhari second successful attempt at securing power was heavily premised on anti-corruption.

Ironically, power keep changing hands while corruption continue to thrive in Nigeria. Elites and Monarchs continue to grow in power and affluence while the masses steadily slide into abject poverty and misery. It therefore means that, ultimate of the struggles have always been acquisition of power.  

In a society deficient in unity and patriotism like Nigeria, and perhaps some others in similar circumstances, whoever controls power also controls the economy and determines those who survive or perish and those who prosper or retrogress into penury. There is always attempts at cornering resources and opportunities, using religion and ethnicity, to the exclusive advantages of some privileged groups. This notion is amply illustrated by table number 11 as follows:-

TABLE 11: PRESIDENCY AND LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT PRINCIPAL MINISTRIES

SN	OFFICE AS AT MAY 2019	NAME	MUSLIM	OTHERS
1	President Federal Republic of Nigeria	Muhammadu Buhari	ü	-
2	Ministry of Finance	Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed	ü	-
3	Ministry of Information	Lai Mohammed	ü	-
4	Ministry of Works, Power and Housing	Babatunde Fashola	ü	-
5	Ministry of Aviation	Sarika Hadi	ü	-
6	Ministry of Communication	Abdulrasheed Adebayo Shittu	ü	-
7	Ministry of Education	Adamu Adamu	ü	-
8	Ministry of Water Resources	Suleiman Adamu Kazaure	ü	-
9	Ministry of Environment	Suleiman Hassan	ü	-
10	Ministry of Women Affairs	Aisha Alhassan	ü	-
11	Ministry of Federal Capital Territory	Mohammed Musa Bello	ü	-
12	Ministry of Foreign Affairs	Geoffrey Onyeama	-	ü
13	Ministry of Defence	Monsur Dan Ali	ü	-
14	Ministry of Interior	Abdulrahaman Bello Danbazau	ü	-
15	Ministry of Petroleum	Muhammadu Buhari	ü	-
16	Ministry of Justice	Abubakar Malami	ü	-
17	Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment	Okechukwu Enelama	-	ü
18	Ministry of Labour and Employment	Chris Ngige	-	ü
19	Ministry of Science and Technology	Ogbonnaya Onu	-	ü
20	Ministry of Solid Minerals	?	?	?
21	Ministry of Budget & National Planning	Udoma Udo Udoma	-	ü
22	Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development	Audu Ogbe	-	ü
23	Ministry of Transportation	Rotimi Amaechi	-	ü
24	Ministry of Health	Isaac Adewole	-	ü
25	Ministry of Niger Delta	Usani Uguru Usani	-	ü
26	Ministry of Youths and Sports	Solomon Dalung	-	ü
	TOTAL		15	10
REMARKS: There is no clear statement from Google search, on who is the current Minister of Solid Minerals. The existing records show a government team of 15 Muslim Principal Ministers including the President against 10 Principal Ministers from Other faiths. The lopsidedness is heavily in favour of the Muslims. Section 4 (i) of the constitution states that “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a state based on the principles of democracy and social justice”. Furthermore, Section (14) 3 states that “the composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few state or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies. Muslims are sectional group.

     

The tables below show a reflection of the absence of unity and patriotism, as administrators of the main revenue sectors of the economy are drawn from either the same geopolitical zone, ethnicity and/or common faith. Tables number 12 and 13 below further demonstrate this fact, both in terms of quantum number and revenue generation/spending value of the sectors.

TABLE 12: PRESIDENT PRINCIPAL MINISTERS (MUSLIMS) AND THEIR GEOPOLITICAL ZONES

SN	NAME AS AT MAY 2019	MINISTRY	NORTH WEST	NORTH EAST	NORTH CENTRAL	SOUTH WEST
1	Muhammadu Buhari	President	ü	-	-	-
2	Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed	Finance	ü	-	-	-
3	Lai Mohammed	Information	-	-	ü	-
4	Babatunde Fashola	Work Power and Housing	-	-	-	ü
5	Sirika Hadi	Aviation	ü	-	-	-
6	Adbulrasheed Adebayo Shittu	Communication	-	-	-	ü
7	Adanu Adamu	Education	-	ü	-	-
8	Suleiman Adamu Kazaure	Water Resources	ü	-	-	-
9	Suleiman Hassan	Environment	-	ü	-	-
10	Aisha Alhassan	Women Affairs	-	ü	-	-
11	Mohammed Musa Bello	Fed. Capital Territory	-	ü	-	-
12	Monsur Dan Ali	Defence	ü	-	-	-
13	Abdulrahaman Bello Danbazau	Interior	ü	-	-	-
14	Muhammadu Buhari	Petroleum	ü	-	-	-
15	Abubakar Malami	Attorney General and Justice	ü	-	-	-
	TOTAL		8	4	1	2
REMARKS: Northwest geopolitical zone is the home capital of the Sokoto Caliphate and rule of the Fulani monarchy. The presidency and seven huge revenue generating/spending ministries are lopsidedly consigned to the Northwest zone; the seat capital of Fulani Monarchy in Northern Nigeria. This underscores the undue economic advantages consigned to people of the Caliphate.

Evidence of the misfortunes of those on the ‘wrong or disadvantaged’ parts of Nigeria is seen in the revenue generation/spending value of the economic sector they control and the quantum number of the sectors. Table number 13 below illustrates this fact as follows:-

TABLE 13: PRINCIPAL MINISTERS (NON-MUSLIMS) AND THEIR GEOPOLITICAL ZONES

SN	NAME AS  AT MAY  2019	MINISTRY	N/ C	S/E	S/W	S/S
1	Geoffrey Onyeama	Foreign Affairs	-	ü	-	-
2	Okechukwu Enelamah	Industry, Trade & Investment	-	ü	-	-
3	Chris Ngige	Labour & Employment	-	ü	-	-
4	Ogbonna Onu	Science & Tech	-	ü	-	-
5	Udoma Udo Udoma	Budget & National Planning	-	-	-	ü
6	Audu Ogbe	Agric & Rural Development	ü	-	-	-
7	Rotimi Amaechi	Transportation	-	-	-	ü
8	Isaac Adewole	Health	-	-	ü	-
9	Usani Uguru Usani	Niger Delta	-	-	-	ü
10	Solomon Dalung	Youths & Sports	ü	-	-	-
	TOTAL		2	4	1	3
REMARKS: Except for the ministries of Transportation, Agric and Rural Development, and Health that are of considerable revenue generation/spending value, all other ministries consigned to the non-Muslim minsters are of marginal revenue value. This underscores economic marginalization of non-Muslim Nigerians of these geopolitical zones generally. The North Central geopolitical zone who are predominantly Christians have consistently been under attacks by Fulani Herdsmen. It signifies both political and economic victimization of non-Muslim people of the North Central zone particularly, the South East, South South, and South West (in sharp contrast to 2 Muslim Ministers of the same South West that control 4 lucrative ministries) in general.

The need to sustain the existing status quo and the beneficiaries to continue to thrive in it, is the driving motive behind the Territorial Extension Agenda being pursued and perpetrated through the contrived ‘self-serving Jihad’ of Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen, by acts of terrorism and other complementary schemes by men and women of power and authority. Notwithstanding the context and intention of the verses, this writer believes that those verses of the Qur’an and Hadith earlier cited must have been exploited for selfish reasons by the sponsors and beneficiaries of the fallouts from these acts of terror, to wit: territorial expansion and bargain for power.

As complementary to this land acquisition agenda, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, never demonstrated enough willingness to liquidate the terrorists, rather the government have been lackadaisical on tackling Boko Haram and out rightly refused to accept that Fulani Herdsmen are terrorist, even though the international Terror Index has the Fulani Herdsmen as the 3^rd deadliest terror group in the world by their latest rating of year 2018. The same government through the law court disbanded and declared Indigenous People of Biafra aka IPOB, a terrorist organization, though they were never known to bear arms or carry out killings of any human being, like the Fulani Herdsmen do. This confirms the import of the postulations on table number 8.  

Again, the same government is trying by all means to acquire more lands from indigenous Nigerians all over the country for the apparently particular benefits of the Fulani Herdsmen through attempts at establishment of free grazing reserves, free grazing routes, cattle colony and presently, a National Livestock Transformation Plans. And most recently Federal Government approved free visa entry to Nigeria for all Africans (a policy that can only appeal to the Fulanis).         

Among the first executive bills sent to the 8^th National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, was a bill for total implementation of Shariah law across Nigeria.

The Sultan of Sokoto His Eminence Abubakar Sa’ad III only made a passing remark about Boko Haram to mean that Islam does not approve the killing of ‘innocent lives’, the phrase ‘innocent life’ remains a subject of debate in the context of Jihad. The Sultan is Head of Caliphate, and several Muslim groups and organizations. He is also chairman of National Council of Traditional Rulers and member National Council of State, by virtue of an Act known as National Council of Traditional Rulers Bill, 2008. Every Nigerian: Muslims and Non-Muslims are now lawfully under the Sultan.  He represents Muslim, and all Other Faiths at the National Council of States, yet he does not believe in Secularity but Shariah.    

Following the persistent killings in Benue State of year 2018, the Defence Minister Monsur Dan Ali is on records to have said that Benue State belongs to the Fulanis by conquest. President Muhammadu Buhari is on records to have encouraged Zamfara people to engage in violence: by saying that the people should eat, be full and get ready for trouble making. The 2019 election exercise witnessed violence and ballot box snatching and vandalization apparently encouraged by security forces of the government, as the perpetrators were neither arrested nor prosecuted, and were not shot either, contrary to the shoot at sight order of the President. Chairman of the All Progress Congress party Adams Oshiomole is on records to have said: all that is needed for a corrupt person to go free is to join the APC party and his sins would be forgiven. These statements and action of the security forces are more or less supportive of terrorism.

The Nigeria Executive Arm of Government may not need the legislature to declare Nigeria as an Islamic State. The judiciary and the 1999 constitution (as amended) are well positioned to support it, though they currently have 100% leadership control of the legislature.

Upon Nigeria assuming a full-blown Islamic state, the Sultan stands out as the De-Facto Supreme Leader of Nigeria. This automatically consigns permanent residency of absolute power under the Sultan. The Sultan is generally known to be averse to secular status on Nigeria but Shariah. This means that under the Sultan the Nigeria secular sections of the constitution must go under and give way to complete Shariah across Nigeria. By virtue of the opposite and competing dual ideologies of secularity and Shariah, enshrined in the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended), and the Prohibitive Firearms Bearing Acts, indigenous Nigerians are caged and vulnerable to displacements from their homes of origin, by Fulani conquest and ethnic cleansing, that is already ongoing.

The Fulanis world over, is a closely knitted racial group (they marry their cousins) which fraternity runs across international boundaries. As they freely migrate into Nigeria under ECOWAS free movement treaty and their population increases, the quest for more lands in their favour, from indigenous Nigerians would be resisted, leading to violent, clashes, hostilities, more terror and war. A war-torn Nigeria would mean a serious refugee crisis to the international community, and instability in the West Africa region.

Nigeria as a signatory to the ECOWAS free movement treaty, Fulani from members states ought not have problems entering and settling down in Nigeria, except that the Nigeria Fulani Elites have created the insinuations that the Fulanis would not be accommodated unless spaces are created for them by government or the Fulanis take it forcefully. Government insistence in creating spaces for the Fulanis and related statements from the government officials like: the Defence Minister Monsur Dan Ali, Governor Nasir Elrufai, Agric Minister Audu Ogbe, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Presidential Media Assistant Femi Adeshina etc, give credence to the veracity of this assertion. In summary they said; give your land to the Fulanis or they kill you.   

Other terror groups organizations would find Nigeria a conducive ground for breeding of International and global terrorism.

It is impossible to effect fundamental changes in or under the present constitution, due to the structural lopsidedness in the polity that makes securing two-third majority vote impossible, against the interests of North West, North East, South West geopolitical zones in this order, due to ethnic and religions cum fraternal considerations as illustrated on table 7.

As a general statement, a stitch in time saves nine other stiches: hence the need for the Nigerian people and international community to engage Nigerian government and other relevant organizations and authorities, with the aim to enhance the security of Nigerians through constitutional rights to defend themselves by every lawful means including the bearing of arms, complementary to other efforts of government at securing lives, properties and peace. Otherwise, a referendum be organized for peaceful dissolution of Nigeria and its division into different countries grouped as people with common history and fraternity.  

The summation of all issues herein shows that;

-      The lopsided political structure in favour of North West and North East particularly,

-      The transformation of status of the Sultan to Supreme Muslim and Traditional Leader of Nigeria,

-      Creation of Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen Terrorists, enjoy government backing

-      Imposition of Shariah in the 1999 military drafted constitution;

Are purposefully intended to keep the control of power and economy within the Sokoto Caliphate and under the Sultan, thereby confirming their ownership of the country, Nigeria as the estate of their great grandfather Uthman Dan Fodio, as suggested by the statement of Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna, of 12^th October, 1960 cited earlier.

There are attempts to stop teaching of Nigerian history in secondary schools.

History of the Hausa Kingdoms and Other indigenous (autochthonous) Nigerians need to be remembered, taught and understood by the present and future generations.

There are Nigerian Fulanis today, not because they are indigenous people of Nigeria. Without knowledge of this History, present and future generation of Nigerians can never know their RIGHTS.

Attempt at scuttling chances of indigenous (autochthonous) Nigerians knowing and demanding for their rights must have, more than any other thing else, informed the background of the Hate Speech executive bill, presented to the 8^th National Assembly, for enactment as criminal law. To prescribe punishments ranging from harsh prison sentences, to upto N10 Million and even death sentence.

This Act may simply be required to obliterate every vestiges of HERITAGE that belonged to indigenous Nigerians. Hate Speech Law could be applied to convict who ever tries to know, or tell about who killed his father or stole the crown of his father.                            

The backgrounds to the above assertions are provided by the historical accounts authored by Dr. Ibrahim A. Modu and Dr. Simon Yohanna, earlier mentioned.  Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen terrorism are products of these backgrounds and the inherent supremacists’ ideology they inspire, disguised as Jihad. This perspective was provided in a published write up by comrade Samuel Tabara, available online vide 247.com.

Liberal access to funds; $1billion Dollar and more expended with no commensurate result.

Sustenance of the Almajiri system despite efforts by former president Jonathan and some initiatives by Bishop Matthew Kukah, to transform the Almajiris through western education. These efforts were frustrated by the caliphate elites. This confirms their determination to continue to use them as political hoodlums, thugs and/or agents of terror in different guises.                   

The existing Firearms Act is only favourable to those prosecuting this Selfish Jihad, Criminality, Banditry, Armed Robbery, Arson and their Sponsors; while the law-abiding Nigerians remain vulnerable, and victims at their mercy.

Self-defense is a universal right.

From principle of the Law of Roman Dominion: “vim vi repellere licet (ie it is permitted to repel force by force)”.

For Nigerians to live, be safe and enjoy their rights of citizenship, the existing Firearms Act must be abrogated and replaced with a friendly and realistic Firearms Bearing Regulations. It should be noted therefore that, any Law which application is discretional would not promote equality; before the Law, the Society, the Citizens and the Country. Boko Haram have pledged loyalty to ISIS, by virtue of which it is an affiliate of ISIS. Fulani Herdsmen terrorists are Boko Haram in disguise.

There is the urgent need for holistic restructuring of Nigeria, to reflect social equality, political and economic balance. The existing situation where the political and economic fortunes of the country is designed to permanently remain in favour of the North West particularly, and North East in partnership, South West affiliatedly; while North Central remain expendable specie in the power game, South East and South-South are limited to servitude until the final conquest.

RECOMMENDATIONS

National and International Authorities and Organizations should ensure the following:-

1.  Referendum to completely redesign the political and physical structure of Nigeria, and free these tribal groups that were not conquered by Uthman Danfodio Jihad, but forced under rule of the Sokoto Caliphate by the British Colonialists Pre-independence. Otherwise, dissolve Nigeria and divide it into different countries made of people of common history and culture.

2.  Stage a Sovereign National Conference to thrash this fraudulent contraption called Nigeria, to defeat security challenges and enhance unity and patriotism.

3.  The Nigerian Civil Organizations and International Community to put pressure on Nigeria to: abrogate the Fire Arms Act of 1959 and subsequent Acts thereafter, to allow for Arms Bearing by All Willing Citizens of Nigeria, to effectively checkmate the Menace of Terror against the Nigerian People.

4.  Quota System and Federal Character as Policy of Governance that truncates Competence and Merit should be abrogated, as they were contrived on fraudulent claims to educational backwardness of Northern Nigeria People. 

5.  Teaching of Nigerian, African and World History must be compulsory.   

6.  The United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West Africa and other relevant International Organizations should take special interest in the current happenings in Nigeria, as there is more than meets the eye in the ongoing terrorism in the country, whereas an ethnic hegemony war by Fulani Muslim Elites against indigenous (autochthonous)Nigerians is going on in the guise of terror and Jihad. There is need to convene an International Conference on the Nigeria situation.  

7.  Nigerians, International community and relevant United Nations’ Groups and Organizations to intellectually engage Nigerian authorities to, in the interim: review the existing Firearms Acts in addition to other measures, to enable law abiding Nigerians acquire Firearms with less stringent conditions, for self defence in their homes, pending constitutional amendments that take longer time.

8.  Nigerians to collaborate with International communities of Human Right groups and the United Nations to encourage Nigerian authorities to convene a sovereign National Conference to completely restructure Nigeria politically and physically, and incorporate the Rights for Arms bearing in addition to other issues of concern.

9.  Any other mitigating action/efforts by all and sundry within and outside Nigeria to help stop the raging genocide and ethnic cleansing in Nigeria.     

10.      The British government as former colonial masters to Nigeria, should admit that they made a mistake by not freeing the Northern minorities from hold of the Sokoto Caliphate before the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates to make what is today called Nigeria, and take actions to help remedy it.

11.      Research to be conducted to establish the veracity of the factors applied in carving out the present geopolitical zones in the manner they are at present.

12.      Research to be conducted to confirm whether or not, the geopolitical zones as carved, conform with actual cardinal bearings of the map of Nigeria.

13.      Nigerian Traditional Rulers to make a public declaration that Fulanis can be given land spaces on their individual merit, so long as they are willing to respect the Norms of their prospective host communities.

14.      Nigerian Government be advised to cease forthwith getting involved in Fulani cattle business matters in Nigeria.

15.      There is need to engage the Fulani Muslim Elites intellectually to dissuade them from their continuous negative and exploitative application of mass psychology on the gullibility of their uninformed/misinformed poor people.

16.      Fulani Elites and Monarchs to be encouraged to abolish the Almajiri system in their domains, or formalize and sponsor adequately.

17.      Nigerians must reject every attempt at enacting Hate Speech Law any day in Nigeria.      

REFERENCES:

1.  Online publications:-

a.   Allegations of lopsidedness in Buhari’s appointments titled: 100 Buhari appointees and their geographical zones

b.  Presidency’s rebuttal of allegations on lopsidedness in appointments titled: full list of Buhari’s appointments to show they are not lopsided

c.   General search on profile of government appointees

d.  Link; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/house_of_Representatives_(Nigeria)

e.   List of Ministers as at February 27, 2018, accessed on March 19, 2019

f.    Constitutive News, Celebrity Lifestyle, Facts and References the 36 States in Nigeria and FCT and their local government areas.

g.   Sarduana statement: parrots Newspaper    

2.  HIS 302, Nigeria in the 19^th Century by Dr, Ibrahim A. Modu

3.  The concept of Jihad in Islam by Dr. Zamir Akhtar Khan

4.  Jihad: a misunderstood concept from Islam by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kobbani and Shaykh Seraj Hendricks

5.  Jama’atual Nasril Islam @ 50 by Bala Mohammed

6.  Jama’atual Nasril Islam: Toyin Falola and Ann Genova Historical Dictionary of Nigeria. eds

7.  Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs

8.  Miyette Allah: Crownnews website

9.  Sanusi Lamido: Reuters 8^th June, 2014

10.              Sultan of Sokoto is 4^th most influential Monarch in Africa. Vanguard. Com

11.              The National Question: Ethnic Minorities and conflicts in Northern Nigeria by Dr. Simon Yohanna         

12.              Conquest to takeover Nigeria by Fulani family Jihadists of Othman Dan-Fodio by Comrade Samuel Tabara.

13.              Speech by Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Mohammed Tank at 20^th Judges Conference ABU Zaria December, 2019.

14.              Khumus Dalam Perspektif: Mazhab Ja’fari