Fulani man justifies shooting of soldiers

Nomadic Fulanis in the Asante Akyim Agogo have been justifying their decision to shoot some members of a military patrol team in the area.

According to the nomads, instead of enforcing laws in the area, the military are rather collaborating with local residents to secretly kill their cattle and sell to local ‘chop bar’ operators.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the dailyheritage.com.gh, a Fulani man who identified himself as Fullo said, the media has not been fair in its reportage on the Fulani menace across the country.

Fullo laments the media has succeeded in creating a very bad image for the nomads for which reason no one is ready to listen to their side of the story.

He was speaking to the dailyheritage.com.gh in response to reports that the Fulani men have shot and wounded five soldiers at Agogo in the Asante Akyem North District of the Ashanti Region.

The incident happened around 2:30 pm Monday when the soldiers stormed the grazing area where the Fulani Herdsmen feed their cattle.

The soldiers were shot during an exchange of gun fire with the Fulani Herdsmen and two of the Fulani men have since been arrested.

But Fullo argues, ‘if you want to be a criminal with license to kill and go free, then you have to join Ghana police or the army.’

‘There were widespread news reports all over the media landscape that we have attacked and opened gun fire at a joint patrol of police and the military team leaving five of them critically injured, but nobody came to speak to us and I thank you for calling us now.’

‘Look, those security officers always collaborate with the boys here locals and go into the bush pretending to patrol and then when they see cow,s they will start shooting and killing them,’ he revealed.

‘Check your WhatsApp, I will send you all the pictures and you can see clearly in the photos if I am lying to you,’ Fullo said angrily.

‘When they kill our animals, they will convey the meat into the Agogo Township by KIA cars and sell it to the local chop bars owners…tell me if the security people are not thieves and what do you do when the thief comes to steal,’ he added.

According to Fullo, the practice by the security operatives has been going on since December last year and anytime the case is reported to the police for action to be taken, nothing happens.

‘So yesterday after the soldiers went for their routine hunting for cows, we also laid ambush and opened fire on them in their own equal measures, then the media and the security officers stationed there diverted the issue and gave it a different headline.’