S/R: Regional Security Agencies, Fulanis Dialogue on Security Issues

The Savannah Regional Security Agencies and Fulanis in the region have held a dialogue meeting successful last weekend to address security issues hovering around the Fulanis settlements.

The dialogue was to guarantee the safety of Fulanis in the region held at the Regional Coordinating Council Conference Hall in Damongo, the regional capital.

The meeting was attended by DCOP E. Larbi (Savannah Region Police Command), Lt. Col. Osei (Savannah region Military Command),
Michael K. Aborah (2IC Immigration Service) and Mr A. Cletus (Regional Crime Officer).

The rest were Mr Yakubu Musah (General Secretary for Fulanis in Ghana), Mr Ahmed Bari, the National Organizer and also doubles as PRO for the Fulani community and all the Fulani settlements Chiefs in the Savannah region.

In the opening remarks, the General Secretary for the Fulanis in Ghana and a member of the Tabital Pulaaku Association, Yakubu Musah Bari encourage the law enforcement agencies to desist from tribal profiling of Fulanis in cases of crime situations.

“We hear of incidents where Fulanis are singled out for harsh and unwanted treatment even on public transport. We also hear of Fulani motorists undergoing unfair treatment at the hands of the very people who have sworn to protect the rights of the citizens. We, the leaders of the Pulaaku, condemn such acts without any equivocation”, he sounded.

He alleged that Fulani motorists are always subjects to serious questioning by the police service but allow others to ride around with little questioning. Musah Bari admitted that “the issue of security when it comes to Fulanis is a labyrinth, a maze without any outlet, or so it seems. We are so worried about some of the issues we have been hearing”.

He expressed worry about the latest development where Fulanis are kidnapping colleague Fulanis and holding them for ransom and appealed to the security agencies to help clamp down hard on “these deviants”.

He assured that the leadership of the Fulanis in Ghana are ready to assist the Security in any way possible to arrest the situation.

‘How can a Fulani kidnap a fellow Fulani and demand some amount of cash before releasing the victims to their families? he quizzed.

Musah Bari, therefore, appealed to the Fulani Chiefs across the Savannah region and Ghana to work closely with the security agencies as well as the Gonja Traditional Council to promote peace and unity between the Fulanis and the traditional leaders.

Musah Bari disclosed that the Fulanis have four (4) major qualities that no other tribe in sub-Saharan Africa got and that includes wealth, knowledge, leadership and Braveness. The Fulanis played varied major roles for Gold Coast in the security and other important sectors and still contribute massively to the development of present-day Ghana.

"Some of us were in Ghana before independence and remain so till today and so do not understand why they still see the Fulanis as strangers, he added.

Another unfortunate issue that has been reported to the leadership of the Fulanis in Ghana is the infiltration of “Fulani Renegades” from Burkina Faso and beyond. These people come into Ghana to cause all manner of crimes and end up giving a bad name to the good Fulanis who have lived peacefully in Ghana."

He urged the immigration service and the security agencies to assist them “in rooting out these miscreants”.

He also assured the public of continued education and sensitization of the Fulanis in Ghana about the need to desist from criminal related acts and, demanded offenders to be punished to serve as a deterrent to others. Musah Bari expressed gratitude to the Ghana Statistical Service for considering the Fulanis input and therefore, called on all the Fulanis in Ghana to allow enumerators into their homes so that they get counted.

The Fulanis have been added to the Mande ethnic group and will be recognized as a tribe in Ghana. Addressing the concerns raised by the Fulanis, DCOP E. Larbi from the regional police command said the Fulanis turn to believe in middlemen anytime there is a police case involving them. These middlemen succeed in manipulating the Fulanis and take huge sums of money from them.

The inability of the Fulanis to help the police to prosecute cases at law court is also a major challenge the police is faced with. They fail to show up anytime the court needs them to help prosecute cases.

He appealed to them to always avail themselves to aid in investigations to help them live safely and peacefully.

The Regional Crime Officer Mr A. Cletus explained that murder cases are not settled outside the court and therefore, the Fulanis must help the system so that criminal issues involving murder will be dealt with by the law courts.

He advised them to desist from paying money to kidnappers but rather inform the security agencies to help arrest perpetrators.

The leader of the military, Lt. Col. Osei also appealed to the Fulanis in Ghana to report issues to the police to help protect them.

He appealed to them to apply the leadership qualities in them to educate their members to live closely with the people of the area in which they live.

Michael K. Aborah, the 2IC Immigration Service said due to the Covid-19, the president has ordered that all borders be closed, therefore, the service is manning the borders well and will prevent alien Fulanis from entry into the country to cause trouble. He told that the only challenge facing the service is the use of unapproved routes into the country and service is put up the right measures to curb that.
The bordering matters on rape, kidnapping, farmer/ herder relationship, armed robbery, and other security-related issues were raised and discussed amicably.

Abdul Sammed Gurundari, S/R