The Council of Fulani Chiefs in South-West Nigeria has distanced itself from individuals being investigated over kidnapping activities in Ogun State, insisting that the Fulani community does not support crime in any form.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the council’s chairman and Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, Alhaji Mohammed Bambado II, said the group strongly condemns kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and every act capable of threatening peace and security in the region.
The council said recent reports linking some suspects to k+dnappings should not be used to stigmatise the entire Fulani community or its traditional institutions.
“The Council neither condones nor supports any form of criminality, including kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, or any activity that threatens the peace and security of our communities,” the statement read.
Bambado stressed that the allegations concern specific individuals and should be treated as personal crimes rather than ethnic issues.
“Criminal conduct is personal and remains the responsibility of those found culpable through due process of law,” he added.
The council also declared support for security agencies investigating criminal activities across the South-West and urged Nigerians to cooperate with authorities by providing useful information.
It further appealed to the media and members of the public to avoid ethnic profiling or comments capable of causing division and mistrust among communities that have lived together peacefully for years.
According to the council, the Fulani community remains committed to peaceful coexistence, lawful economic activities and the continued development of the South-West and Nigeria as a whole.
“We reaffirm our commitment to supporting lawful measures that promote peace, security, and unity across the region,” the statement added.