Expose Criminals Among You or Face Consequences, Bago Tells Fulani Leaders

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has issued a strong appeal to leaders of Fulani communities across the state, urging them to partner with security agencies in identifying and exposing criminal elements responsible for kidnappings, banditry, and other violent crimes. The governor warned that continued silence over the activities of armed groups was fuelling public resentment against the ethnic group, with innocent members increasingly bearing the consequences of the actions of a few, making it imperative for community leaders to take decisive action before the situation spirals further out of control.

Speaking in Hausa during a meeting with community leaders, a video of which has since gone viral on social media, Bago delivered a blunt message to Fulani elders, urging them to advise those involved in criminal activities to abandon crime and return to their communities. He stressed that victims of kidnapping almost always blamed their abductors on the Fulani community, making it essential for leaders to intervene and separate the innocent from the guilty. “My relatives, I will not be afraid of you; I had better tell you this. Whoever gets kidnapped in the bush and is later released will say it was Fulanis who kidnapped him,” Bago said. “So, you should warn your children who are in the bush to return so that we can live peacefully. There is no way people can be kidnapped and made to pay ransom without expecting them to be angry with you.”

The governor noted that public frustration over worsening insecurity had reached a boiling point, alleging that some residents had failed to alert authorities about armed groups operating within their communities, including suspected criminals arriving from neighbouring Zamfara State, where banditry has long been a major challenge. He emphasised that while no one was stopping Fulani people from grazing their cattle, attending school, or living peacefully, the failure of community leaders to rein in criminal elements among them would ultimately lead to collective punishment. “People are angry with Fulanis. No one is stopping you from grazing, going to school, or staying peacefully, yet you know your children are doing bad things to people. Even if they are not caught, you will eventually face the consequences,” he warned, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

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Bago challenged Fulani leaders to distance themselves from criminal elements by reporting them to security agencies instead of offering protection or remaining silent, emphasising that collaboration was essential to restoring peace across the state. He stressed that the government was committed to working with all stakeholders to address insecurity but that community leaders had a critical role to play in identifying and rooting out criminals, and that failure to do so would only deepen the distrust between communities and further endanger innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

Despite the governor’s remarks generating significant online attention, social media claims that Bago ordered the removal of all Fulani district heads in Niger State have been fact-checked and found to be false. Independent fact-checking organisations, including Daily Trust and Dubawa, reviewed the full transcript of the governor’s speech and confirmed that he made no such announcement, providing clarity amid the misinformation that had spread rapidly across platforms. According to the fact-check, the governor instead called for better representation of Fulani communities within the traditional emirate system, urging the Emir of Kagara to give Fulani people proper representation as district or ward heads so that everyone feels included, rather than calling for their removal. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bolagi Ibrahim, also refuted the allegations, describing them as deceptive and stating that the governor maintains a leadership style centred on inclusivity and broad community engagement, contrary to the false narratives circulating online.

Bago also directed traditional rulers to monitor religious activities within their domains and take action against preachers whose messages promote division or threaten peaceful coexistence, declaring that anyone using religious sermons to sow discord among Muslims or create hostility between Muslims and Christians should be arrested. He specifically called out the activities of Lakurawa, a militant group that has been operating in parts of northern Nigeria, accusing them of causing trouble under the guise of preaching while actually spreading division. “Also, this Emirate should set boundaries for our preachers,” he said. “Lakurawa come and create trouble among you in the name of preaching, but they are just lying. When they were born, it was Salatul Fatih that was practiced. Shehu Usman Danfodio is the man who laid the foundation for Islam here, yet they are against him. Which books have they read, and where did they study?” He added, “Even if they come to the Jum’at mosque to preach, arrest them. His Royal Highness, I give permission, whoever preaches to divide Muslims, or to divide Muslims and Christians, should be arrested, and we will take them to prison,” signalling a zero-tolerance approach to religious incitement.

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The governor’s remarks came against the backdrop of communal clashes between Fulani herders and the Kamuku community in Rafi Local Government Area that reportedly claimed nearly 80 lives, a tragedy that has heightened tensions and underscored the urgent need for intervention. Bago attributed the violence to alleged land grabbing and political instigation, warning that those responsible would face the full weight of the law, and ordered an immediate halt to all land transactions across the Kagara Emirate unless approved by the state government through the Emirate Council. The governor also raised concerns about the activities of Lakurawa, a militant group that has been operating in parts of northern Nigeria, with the Defence Headquarters confirming that Lakurawa emerged as a new terrorist group in the North-West, particularly in Sokoto, Kebbi and northern parts of Niger State. The group is believed to have links to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), raising fears of a potential alliance between Sahelian extremists and Nigerian actors that could further destabilise the region.

Bago further cautioned vigilante groups against exceeding their responsibilities, urging them to concentrate on protecting border communities and supporting security agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands, as unchecked vigilantism could create new security challenges. He emphasised that the state government was committed to working with all stakeholders to restore peace and stability across Niger State, and that all security operations must be conducted within the limits of the law to avoid further escalation of violence and ensure that justice is served fairly.

The governor also addressed the issue of farming along government road corridors, warning that the practice had been prohibited, and directed that any farmer caught planting crops between the main road and power poles should be arrested, with animals allowed to feed on such crops. “Between the main government road and the power poles, where no farmer is supposed to plant, I have given an order that if any farmer plants between the main road and the power poles, you should let the animals eat the crops and arrest the farmer,” he said. “You have your own designated land, planting close to the main road only shows you are looking for trouble.” Bago had previously made a similar call in July 2026, urging farmers to desist from farming on road shoulders to avoid clashes with herders, as competition for land and resources continues to drive conflict in the state. The governor’s tough stance on insecurity comes as Niger State continues to grapple with the twin challenges of banditry and farmer-herder conflicts, which have displaced thousands of residents and disrupted agricultural activities across the state, threatening food security and livelihoods in one of Nigeria’s largest states.

As of the time of this report, there has been no official response from Fulani community leaders to the governor’s appeal, but the viral video continues to generate widespread discussion on social media about the complex dynamics of insecurity in northern Nigeria. While some commentators have praised the governor’s direct approach, others have called for more nuanced interventions that address the root causes of banditry, including poverty, unemployment, and competition over natural resources, warning that punitive measures alone may not be sufficient to resolve the deeply entrenched conflict. The situation remains fluid, and all eyes are on Niger State as the government moves to implement its security strategy and restore peace to communities that have endured years of violence and uncertainty.

Expose Criminals Among You or Face Consequences, Bago Tells Fulani Leaders