By Ozioruva Aliu

AN Edo state based civil society group; Foundation for Good Governance and Social Change (FGGSC) faulted a statement credited to the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Muhammed justifying bearing of arms by Fulani herdsmen as it called on the Presidency to caution the governor whose comments it described as “reckless, provocative, divisive and unbecoming of the status of a governor in a pluralistic society like Nigeria.”

 It would be recalled that Muhammed said the herdsmen have the right to own and carry around AK47 rifles for protection of their cows.

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 Addressing a press conference in Benin City yesterday, Executive Director of FGGSC, Comrade Austin Osakue said the situation in Nigeria was similar to what led to the 30 months civil war in 1967 that resulted in wanton destruction of lives and properties.

   He said: “The statement opens the floodgates of self-help for Nigerians of other ethnic divides and geographical zones to resort to self-help and arm themselves. 

   “That the President Buhari’s federal government has not reprimanded the Bauchi’s governor so far paints a scenario of the voice of Jacob but the Hand of Esau. 

  “How can one ethnic group constitute so much threat to the rest of Nigeria? Who are their backers? Why have repeated calls for ranches fallen on deaf ears? 

   “We call on the Buhari government to consult the history books. If it does, it will discover that the exact same events which led to the thirty-month civil war between 1967 and 1970 are playing out now.
   “Those who fail to learn from history will be forced to repeat it” Comrade Osakue declared.”