The Chairman of the Northern Youth Leaders Forum, Rev Elliot Afiso, has accused the former Nigerian president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of laying foundation for the current killings and banditry in the northern part of the country.
He claimed that Goodluck Jonathan was sponsoring a Fulani group called “Miyetti Allah Kautal Horre.” And in 2014, the Ex-President paid the group N300 million with which they purchased most of their firearms.
He made the accusations during an interview session with SaharaReporters, according to him, the current Nigerian president is being punished for the wrongdoings of the previous administration.
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In his words he said,
“One thing that I want Nigerians to know is that it was in 2014 that banditry started in earnest. This is because, that was when the then President, Goodluck Jonathan, reneged on a gentleman agreement of not seeking a second term. He lobbied the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and the Northern Elders Forum, but they refused.
“But because he was desperate, he mobilised some people who create “Miyetti Allah Kautal Horre”, and he also created the Northern Elders Council, to rival those groups that refused to endorse his reelection ambition.
“Recall that he received Miyetti Allah Kautal Horre at the presidential villa and gave them N300,000,000 to gain their support. Unfortunately, Miyetti Allah Kautal Horre used the money to acquire arms.
“Don’t forget that he was dealing with Fulani people whose cattle have been rustled by Boko Haram terrorists, so they were also desperate to regain their means of livelihood.
“Having acquired firearms with Jonathan’s gift, they found kidnapping and banditry to be a lucrative business. Also, with a polarised elite group, the bandits began to enjoy the support of some Northern elders.
“When you have a one-on-one interaction with some of the arrested kidnappers, they tell you sometimes that they get as little as N5,000 share from a ransom because there’s a big boss somewhere.”
The killings and banditry in the northern part of Nigeria is getting out of hand, on Friday night, armed bandits abducted over 400 secondary school students.
