A disaster averted by intervention on social media.....My friend Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande sent this to me and authorized me to share this update.....

Today 16th July 2012 at 12 midnight the notice given by the STF for the Fulanis to leave the villages of Mahanga, Kakuruk, Kuzen, Maseh and Shong2 for a military operation will expire.

Following the support and public outcry over the eviction notice, The Military High Command has changed it's position and decided to dialogue with the Fulani community in the affected areas, insisting that the operation will take place at the expiration of the deadline.

In the course of the meeting it was generally agreed that about 10000 fulanis will be temporarily relocated for the 2days in which the military operation will take place. Assurances were given by the military authorities that no destruction of properties and burning of houses will take place. According to the Military, they will only comb the area for suspected ' insurgents'. After which the affected persons will return to their places of abode. The snag in this ' operation' is that no written guarantees were given.

Amongst officials of the Miyyati Allah organisation present includes Mal Nura ( State Secretary ).
Happily also Dr Aliyu Tilde whom I have spoken to was also there. He ( Dr Tilde) assured me that though no written agreement was recorded, there was video tape recording of all the proceedings of the meeting which was jointly agreed to. Dr Tilde further confirmed he will be live on ground during the two days which the operation is expected to last in order to monitor the situation, including return of the Fulanis.

This is the situation report as at today on the above. Our apprehension stems from the precedence which Governor Jonah Jang set in 2010 when he forcefully evacuated some Fulani nomads who were peacefully grazing their cattle within the vicinity of a Federal Government Grazing Reserve In Wase and subsequently 'deported 'them to Ningi in Bauchi State.

https://www.facebook.com/nasirelrufai/posts/10151921752070128

^From Nasir El-Rufai's Facebook Page.