News Editor
By Steven Kefas
A terrorist kingpin by name Dan-Makaranta aka Apabakuta operating in Giwa local government area of Kaduna state has blamed the stereotype of Fulani ethnic group by Nigerians as major reason for the terrorists activities going on in Northern parts of the country.
Apabakura stated this in an exclusive interview he granted the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
According to FIJ, Apabakura had been described as a leading terrorist in Kaduna state, a claim he confirmed himself during the interview.
“My work is classified into four; kidnapping, robbery, cattle rustling and killing of people in communities, and they are for a reason,” he told FIJ. “Most of my (Fulani) people know nothing about criminality, but they shifted all the insecurity blame to them. All Fulani have been classified as terrorists in Nigeria.
“Whenever a Fulani man is sighted, they describe him as a terrorist or a criminal; they arrest them and even seize their cattle and motorcycles.
“I was a 100 level student at ABU Zaria when my father and brother were killed for nothing. They took their cattle away. This happened at Chikun.”
Apabakura who resides in Yadi Forest in the Fatika district of Giwa local government, told FIJ that some government officials who did not like the Fulani stereotype were the ones supporting him to fight indigenous people.
This further lend credence to the claim by some other terrorists in the past that they get logistics and other supports from government.
In recent years, terrorists mostly of Fulani extraction have been blamed for attacks on indigenous communities across the northern parts of Nigeria.
Speaking to FIJ, Apabakura also expressed his indignation towards local vigilante operating in Kaduna state.
“The vigilantes see themselves as people who can defend themselves when government can’t even buy weapons for them. They use their own money to purchase local guns and cutlasses and kill our people.” he said.
Recall that in March this year, at least 63 local vigilante volunteers were ambushed and killed by terrorists in Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi state.
