The Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has lambasted the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, for saying most bandits are of the Fulani ethnic stock as himself.

In recent times, many states in the Northern part of the country have witnessed a series of attacks by suspected bandits, leading to abductions, murder and cattle rustling, a development that has stirred public outcry.

Speaking on Monday as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, the governor had alleged many of the bandits are Fulani indigenes whose main occupation is rearing cattle.

“They are the same people like me, who speak the same language like me, who profess the same religious beliefs like me. So, what we have here on ground are bandits; they are not aliens, they are people we know, they are people that have been living with us for 100 of years,” Masari had said.

“The infiltration we have from some West African countries and North African countries are also people of the Fulani extraction.

“Majority of those involved in this banditry are Fulanis whether it is palatable or it is not palatable but that is the truth. I am not saying 100% of them are Fulani but majority of them are, and these are people who live in the forest and their main occupation is rearing of cattle.”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Alhassan, asked Nigerians to ignore the governor.

“Did you take that drunkard serious? My governor, do you take him serious? Can’t you see that he is already tired? Records should come from security operatives, not a confused human being.

“He knows them now, is he not a Fulani man? All of them talking, they are stealing security votes, they should find solutions, create ranches for these herders and accommodate them.

“Which people do you find along the Sahel Sahara desert? They are many tribes, is it by physique that you now identify a Fulani man? The bandits are criminals, why should you attach tribe to it, that’s why we are not happy. You don’t need to attach a tribe because it will affect innocent person.

“Forget that man, that man is the worst Governor Katsina has had; we are just praying for his time to lapse.”