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Nigeria's Buhari orders crackdown on Fulani cattle raiders | Nigeria's Buhari orders crackdown on Fulani cattle raiders |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the security forces to crack down on cattle raiders accused of killing hundreds of people this year. | Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the security forces to crack down on cattle raiders accused of killing hundreds of people this year. |
Soldiers and police would "go after the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country", he said. | Soldiers and police would "go after the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country", he said. |
The raids are seen as the biggest security threat facing Nigeria after the Islamist-led insurgency. | The raids are seen as the biggest security threat facing Nigeria after the Islamist-led insurgency. |
Nomadic herders from the Fulani ethnic group and farming communities often clash for control of land and water. | Nomadic herders from the Fulani ethnic group and farming communities often clash for control of land and water. |
The announcement comes after national outrage over the killing of at least 20 people on Monday in a raid on the Ukpabi Nimbo community in south-eastern Enugu State. | |
In a statement, Mr Buhari said he deeply sympathised with those who had lost their lives. | In a statement, Mr Buhari said he deeply sympathised with those who had lost their lives. |
He had ordered Nigeria's army and police chiefs to "secure all communities under attack by herdsmen", Mr Buhari added. | He had ordered Nigeria's army and police chiefs to "secure all communities under attack by herdsmen", Mr Buhari added. |
"This government will not allow these attacks to continue," the president said. | "This government will not allow these attacks to continue," the president said. |
In February, about 300 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless in a tit-for-tat raid in central Benue state, local media reported. | In February, about 300 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless in a tit-for-tat raid in central Benue state, local media reported. |
Homes, food stores and churches were also destroyed, reports said. | |
More than 1, 200 people were killed in 2014 by different groups of Fulani herders, according to the Global Terrorism Index. | |
Who are the Fulanis? By Naziru Mikailu, BBC News | |
The Fulanis are believed to be largest semi-nomadic group in the world and are mainly based in West and Central Africa. | |
In Nigeria, there are two types: The semi-nomadic herders and those who live in the city. | |
Unlike the more integrated city dwellers, the nomadic groups spend most of their lives in the bush and are the ones largely involved in these clashes. | |
They herd their animals across vast dry hinterlands, something that often puts them at odds with many communities, especially farmers who accuse them of damaging their crops. | |
However, the Fulanis have sometimes been attacked and have their animals stolen by bandits, prompting reprisal attacks. | |
The conflict has been going on for about two decades, but following the upsurge in attacks this year the government is under increasing pressure to take steps to curb it. |
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