Buba Galadima, a close associate-turned-critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, says reported clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the South-West geopolitical zone are made up.
Galadima stated this in an interview published by Sunday Sun while accusing the media of bias in reporting security issues in the country.
A reported attack by Fulani herdsmen on Orile-Igbooro community in Yewa North Local Council of Ogun State, left three people dead, including a mother and her child, on February 13.
Incessant attack by Fulani herdsmen on many other farming villages in Yewa land in Ogun State caused many residents to take refuge in Benin Republic.
Reacting to the reported attacks, Galadima said that when criminals strike in the North, the media tag them “bandits” but when they strike in the South, they are tagged “Fulani herdsmen.”
According to him, the media make up the stories of farmers-herdsmen crises in a bid to profile Fulani herdsmen so as to get them killed.
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Told that journalists were only reporting what they saw, Galadima accused the media of not being sympathetic to the plight of victims of insecurity in the north.
“There is no clash between farmers and herdsmen. Show me the picture of where they are doing that. There is nothing like that, you only profile certain people in order to get some people killed. Please, there is nothing like Fulani and farmer clash in the Southwest,” he said.
Asked if he was suggesting that the media made up stories of clashes, Galadima said, “Of course, you know that one now. There may be some Fulani who are attacking people for ransom. Even at that, the media should avoid saying things that will compound the issue.”
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