The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has commended the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo over his comment on those behind the killings in the southern part of the country
While applauding the governor for being forthright, MURIC also identified Soludo as one possessing the right qualities of a future Nigerian president.
MURIC ‘s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement said Soludo disclosed that majority of the kidnappings and killings in Anambra and other South-East states are not committed by Fulanis as widely believed but by criminals among the Igbo people.
The statement reads:
“The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said majority of the kidnappings and killings in Anambra and other South-East states are not committed by Fulanis as widely believed but by criminals among the Igbo people.*
“The governor stated this during an interactive town hall meeting with Anambra Indigenes in the Diaspora. The programme was held at the Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, United States of America.
“In his own words, Soludo said, ‘99.99 per cent of kidnappers and other criminals arrested in the state since I assumed office three years ago have been Igbos’ (https://punchng.com/igbo-criminals-not-fulani-herdsmen-behind-south-east-killings-soludo/).
“This is a landmark declaration. It is indeed an eye-opener for all those who have been following the unfortunate incidents of kidnappings and killings in the South East. We give kudos to Governor Soludo for this honest assertion. It is bold, deep and far-reaching.*
“For refusing to dance to the gallery and for hitting the nail on the head without caring whose ox is gored, Soludo has proved that he is a Nigerian-president-in-the-waiting.
*“This incident has demystified the myth of the Fulani criminal which is more often than not bandied about among gullible Nigerians to stigmatise the Fulani race. On the contrary, we have always maintained that crime has no ethnicity, no religion. Criminals are available everywhere but many Southerners have been misled into believing that every kidnapping or killing committed in the region can only be traced to Fulanis.
“MURIC urges other governors, traditional rulers and community leaders in the region to follow the good example of Governor Soludo by speaking out on this subject. We must reject stereotypes. We must treat fellow Nigerians only on the basis of what we owe the rest of humanity, namely, openness, love and kindness.
“Soludo comes across as a suitable candidate for Aso Rock in the near future. Genuine national healing can only come under the leadership of a completely detribalized leader like Chukwuma Soludo. He speaks truth to his people and refuses to listen to sycophants.*
“Instead of exhibiting disappointment and bitterness towards Governor Soludo for his frankness, we advise the Igbo people to rally round the governor. The South east is in dire need of a leader who is respected nationwide. Soludo has earned that nationwide respect through good governance and also with this Fulani-related incident.
“This is an indubitable presidential material that the Igbos must nurture to maturity. To us, anyone who has the capacity to accommodate all ethnicities and all faiths is a great asset. Soludo is a treasure without measure.
“As we take a break, we charge people of other parts of the country to eschew their anti-Fulani prejudice. Innocent Fulanis have been attacked and killed in some parts of the country. Men of conscience should pause and reflect over the killings and profiling of innocent men and women simply because they belong to a particular race or religion. We must allow good reasoning and objectivity to dictate our actions, not sentiment, not emotion, not perception.”