The Fulani Factor: by T. R. Cain
Tales trickling in from the grapevine are suffused with images of extermination of droves of cattle by book is haram sect in Kangallam village along Marte and Abadam in Borno State through poisoning of rivers where the shepherds normally water the flocks. This happened within the last quarter of 2015. The carnage, tales infer, resulted from a ‘breach’ or failure by the herdsmen to continue to honour the sealed agreement with the sect on transportation / delivery of supplies including cannabis and ammunition usually conveyed on the back of cows, donkeys as well as camels through forests across various fronts and borders. Tales are related of huge sums paid up front by the sect to myriads of herdsmen across the country for the task and how the sect is holding each group of herdsmen liable for the failure to deliver or refund.

Tales also speak of how some herdsmen are laying siege on hometowns of some city dwelling gun-runners in certain locations where they had already made deposits for supplies but are yet to get the supplies or refunds. Tales also relate of how certain small time gun-runners are mobilizing ethnic militias dragging them blindly into issues they were not part of from the on-set. The ‘breach’ considered a betrayal, which is now branded within the local underground arms market as the ‘Fulani factor’ led to waning of fortunes of the book is haram sect within regions where they held sway. Most herdsmen that were party to the pact hastily changed routes, leaving for southern parts of the country without making the mandatory refunds. Most have been tracked down; some have had their flocks massively wiped out under the pretext of dispersing cattle rustlers. Instead of owning up to their association with and resulting indebtedness to the sect, the herdsmen feign ignorance, making flock owners believe it is the natives where the sect catches up with them that attack the herd. With the breach and resulting losses incurred by the sect, resolution to ruin the herdsmen has included the strategy of holding the flock to ransom and forcing the herdsmen to raze communities of perceived enemies, as well as forcing them occasionally to bring in (kidnap) targeted individuals in return for their flock. To facilitate tracking of debtor herdsmen, armed escorts are forcefully attached to the herdsmen under the pretext of protecting them from rustlers.

Slump in the cattle market due to present economic situation and escalating tensions frustrating auctioning of the herd, hope of securing refund of funds is waning, further exasperating segments of the sect. Attached escorts are not as mildly tempered as the regular herdsmen, which is leading to brazen grazing on croplands and thus more frequent clashes with owners of farmlands. Roaming flocks are to be found in every state of the nation. It has been argued on several fronts that the cattle owners were never part of the agreements or pacts between the herdsmen and the sect.
Would those little shepherd boys and frail folks make Kidnap a hobby, then occasionally have the masters’ cattle exchanged for ammunition without consent of the masters? Most unlikely.
Most have argued that it is the cattle owners, rather than the herdsmen, mere employees with little at stake, that sponsor the attacks. But of what benefit would such sponsorship be to the flock owners? Are the armed folks that raze villages, maim, kill, and destroy really herdsmen? Time will reveal.
If we fail to mend fences and collectively find a most prudent solution to consequences of the ‘Fulani factor’ presently echoing across the country, we should be rest assured that more of our young ones will be found among the endless queue of indigent migrants desperately soliciting for access across border fences in certain continents of the world.
Readers Reaction are welcome.

Attached: Photos and full story. The Fulani Factor by T.R.Cain

So this is it ? The truth about this Fulani Wahala coming out gradually.
Meanwhile the relevant agencies are running about in blind pursuit.
Cattle owners and their cohorts in government are busy scheming for grazing reserve!
It is well!!!!