The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has appealed to Nigerians to stop referring to kidnappers, bandits and terrorists as Fulani herdsmen, insisting that criminals should simply be identified as criminals, regardless of their ethnic background.
Drivetvnews gathered that the Sultan made the call on Wednesday while declaring open the 2026 National Conference of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Abuja.
He stressed that the actions of a few individuals should not be used to stereotype millions of peaceful Fulani people across the country.
“I want to assure all Nigerians that we mean well for everybody in Nigeria. We mean no harm to anybody,” he said.
According to the Sultan, every ethnic group has both good and bad individuals, adding that criminality should never be linked to an entire community.
He also pledged the commitment of Fulani communities to support President Bola Tinubu and security agencies in tackling insecurity.
“We are 100 per cent ready to work with the President and security agencies to flush out criminals from our communities,” he stated.
The Sultan further commended the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, describing it as a positive step toward improving Nigeria’s livestock industry and encouraging peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.
Also speaking at the event, MACBAN National President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, condemned terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and cattle rustling, stressing that no ethnic group or profession should be blamed for the crimes of a few individuals.
He said the association would continue to encourage its members to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information and rejecting every form of criminality.
