In August 2020, a disconcerting voice recording made its was way throughout social media in which Fulani man Ardo Bulama disparages and threatens Nigeria’s indigenous peoples and Christians, makes inflammatory and incendiary remarks, and insists that all attempts to cease Fulani activity will inevitably end in more bloodshed. Reported by the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN), below are some of the most concerning statements made by Bulama in the recording- translated from Hausa and unedited:
“I swear any Fulani that knows he is prepared should come out, he should come out with his strength and with the strength of Allah we will join hands and fight these infidels, infidels that hate Islam we will kill them and burn their houses and burn their food, we will kill them the way hunters kill wild animals….”
“I swear, I swear, this is the swearing of Muslims, if God allows and permits, we will turn your houses to be non-habitable even your chickens we will kill them, we will burn your houses, and hinder you from moving around. We already know your farms, we know your farms, we know where you sleep.”
“Any law enforcement agent that enters this our fight between Fulani and Christians I swear he is not part of our fight but if he enters we will finish him.”
“We Fulanis are untouchable, we only fear God alone because of that everyone will be dealt with any one that will not be part of this fight will be dealt with as long as you are Christians.”
“I Ardo Bulama I have children North, South, East, West, up, down, everyone is ready. Not gun, knife, arrow, and all American ammunitions it doesn’t penetrate our body we here its common stick we will use and it works on everybody without using American ammunition. A man who is fit to be called a man doesn’t carry a gun of what effect does it have on a man’s body you will only shoot and be tired we will use stone you will be tired, we will use stone you, will be in the rain not knowing you are in the sun. Kasuwan Magani and crossing and Gwanin Gora all Laguda all the infidels in these areas, we are done with them. Just call yourselves corpses wherever you go even if it is in Jos, we will follow you and kill you.”
In response to the widespread circulation of this voice recording, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) released a Petition to the Inspector General of Police on the Threat to Security and Other Related Matters, in which they express the following concerns:
“That the inability of Nigeria to attain its full potential is due to the conflict between the two ideologies- Democracy and Sharia- that are both being practiced in Nigeria….It is a tenet of Islam that man-made law is considered illicit for ‘those whose adherents Allah already has provided the only law permitted, Sharia. Islam and democracy can never co-exist in harmony.'”
“Colonialism, as you know, is the practice of establishing control over a foreign territory and centralizing of policing is an instrument of fascism in government. Ardo Bulama is a Fulani who wants to exercise control over Southern Kaduna in continuation of colonialism as a form of rule.”
NCEF addresses other confounding factors, such as that the Nigerian police should not be responsible for para-military activities and should instead be directed to address crime, enforce legislation, and prosecute perpetrators of violence such as is the case by Fulani militants against Nigerian Christians. To conclude, the NCEF calls for the arrest and prosecution of Ardo Baluma for incitement to hate speech and violence.
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