The Financial Secretary of Tabital Pulaaku International and Regional Security of the National Council for Fulani Chiefs – Upper East, Mr Osman Ajedi Jallo, has expressed disappointment regarding the assertions made by security analyst Andrews Asiedu Tetteh that Fulani herdsmen are trafficking guns into Bawku.
Mr Jallo described the comments as not only imprudent but also unfortunate and an affront to the Fulani community.
He stated that even if the analyst’s remarks were based on factual information or research, the manner of communication was marred by prejudice, a sentiment the Fulani community has endured over time.
It is recalled that Andrews Asiedu Tetteh in a recent interview with Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM alleged that Fulani herdsmen are trafficking guns into Bawku, purportedly exacerbating the ongoing conflict.
He claimed that these herdsmen transport illicit weapons concealed within their cattle herds, evading border security searches.
“Let me disclose one of the ways illicit guns are transported to Bawku,” he explained. “These herdsmen conceal the guns on the cattle using sellotape. They either hide the guns on the cattle’s back or stomach. Our soldiers are unable to search them because any attempt to do so could lead to their deaths. Only the Fulani herdsmen have the ability to move through the cattle.”
He continued, “This is one of the ways the herdsmen are trafficking guns to Bawku, and I want our security agencies to deal with the matter. Our security apparatus doesn’t conduct any research, so they have no idea what I’m talking about. It took me just two weeks to research and find these details. But those who have been paid to manage the security of the state lack any insight into how guns are trafficked to Bawku.”
In response to these remarks, Mr Osman Ajedi Jallo posited that the analyst erred.
“He was not only reckless but also insensitive and unprofessional. As a security analyst, he ought to have known that the Bawku crisis is a serious issue, and any remarks that can undermine peace efforts must not be entertained.”
“If an investigation has indeed been conducted and uncovered certain happenings, it would have been prudent to inform the relevant security agencies rather than engaging in a public spectacle. Was this the most effective way to disseminate the information? Ghanaians are uniformly interested in resolving the crisis, and therefore, such reckless remarks are unwarranted. The Fulani community is particularly vulnerable, and irresponsible comments about us pose a significant threat to our safety, making us targets for attacks, as evidenced by the incident in the Tenpani District where Fulani residents, who have peacefully coexisted with the local community since the Gold Coast era, were targeted and attacked because of his remarks.”
Meanwhile, he has issued a notice that the Fulani community will no longer tolerate discriminatory treatment and unwarranted attacks against them, as these actions leave them vulnerable to further assaults.
He emphasised that they will take all necessary measures to protect their reputation, stating,
‘We will not permit individuals to unjustly portray Fulanis as criminals. We are law-abiding citizens, and we will not stand idly by while being labeled as such.’
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
