- Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III spoke at the 2026 MACBAN National Conference in Abuja on Wednesday
- The Sultan called on Nigerians to stop linking Fulani identity to kidnapping, banditry and terrorism
- Fulani communities pledged to work with security agencies to remove criminal elements from their settlements
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja – The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Nigerians to stop attaching the label “Fulani herdsmen” to kidnappers, bandits and terrorists, arguing that criminal behaviour has no ethnic identity.
The Sultan drew a firm line between peaceful Fulani communities and criminal actors who share their ethnicity.
Source: Twitter
As reported by Nigerian Tribune, the monarch stated this while speaking on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Conference of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Abuja.
“Call them criminals who are abducting people, engaging in kidnapping, terrorism and whatever. In every family, you have bad people, and you have good people. I happen to belong to the family of good people.”
Sultan distances Fulani from criminal tag
The Sultan warned against the collective profiling of millions of law-abiding Fulani people on account of the actions of a few.
He said ethnic background must never be used to define criminal responsibility, and urged the public to direct their criticism at individual bad actors rather than an entire community.
“I want to assure all Nigerians that we mean well for everybody in Nigeria. We mean no harm to anybody.”
He also called for deeper mutual understanding among Nigerians, saying tolerance alone is not sufficient.
“We want everybody to understand who we are. If you understand somebody, you can work better with him.”
Fulani communities to help flush out criminals
Beyond the rhetoric, the Sultan made a concrete pledge on behalf of Fulani communities, saying they are fully prepared to partner with the Federal Government and security agencies to remove criminal elements from their settlements.
“We assure the President and all other stakeholders that we are 100 per cent ready to work with him and other security agencies to flush out criminals from our enclaves.”
The Sultan also praised President Bola Tinubu for creating the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, describing it as a significant step towards transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector.
He expressed support for the Presidential Livestock Reforms Committee, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, and said traditional institutions would back the ministry’s work.
Source: Twitter
Herdsmen kill 15 in fresh Benue attacks
Recall that armed invaders struck two communities in Otukpo local government area of Benue State, leaving at least 15 people dead.
The Efeyi-Ugboju attack lasted over four hours from 5am on Tuesday, with locals saying the death toll could still rise.
Otukpo LGA Chairman Maxwell Ogiri confirmed 14 bodies recovered and called on the government to enforce the anti-open grazing law.
Suspected herdsmen kill 16 in Benue
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that suspected armed herders stormed Nobi community in Otukpo LGA, Benue State, killing at least 16 residents in an early morning attack.
Angry youths and women took to the streets of Otukpo, blocking the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo roads to protest the killings.
Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the attack as a barbaric assault and directed all security agencies to intensify surveillance across affected communities.
Source: Legit.ng