Bago to Fulani Leaders: Urge Your Children to Abandon Kidnapping, Criminality
By The Analyst Online Media
July 24, 2026
ABUJA – Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has called on Fulani community leaders to work closely with security agencies to identify and expose criminal elements operating within their communities, warning that continued silence over kidnapping and banditry is fueling public distrust.
Speaking in Hausa during a meeting with stakeholders in a video that has since gone viral, Governor Bago urged Fulani leaders to encourage those involved in criminal activities to abandon crime and return home in the interest of peace and security.
According to the governor, victims of abduction frequently associate their kidnappers with Fulani communities, a perception he said continues to damage the reputation of law-abiding Fulani citizens.
"Whoever is kidnapped in the bush and later regains freedom often says it was Fulanis who abducted them. Therefore, you should advise your children who are in the forests to return home so that we can all live peacefully," Bago said.
He added that communities cannot expect sympathy from victims forced to pay ransom for their freedom while criminal activities persist unchecked.
The governor noted that insecurity continues to generate public anger because some community members allegedly fail to report armed criminals, including those entering Niger State from neighbouring Zamfara State.
Bago appealed to Fulani leaders to distance themselves from criminal elements and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible intelligence capable of improving security across the state.
Warning to Farmers
Governor Bago also cautioned farmers against cultivating crops along government roads, saying such practices violate existing regulations.
He disclosed that the state government had directed relevant authorities to enforce the law by allowing grazing animals to feed on crops planted illegally between major roads and electricity poles, while offending farmers could face arrest.
According to him, farmers should confine their activities to designated farmlands rather than encroaching on public road corridors.
Vigilantes and Religious Preaching
The governor further advised vigilante groups to operate strictly within their assigned responsibilities by focusing on protecting border communities instead of taking the law into their own hands.
He also charged traditional rulers to monitor religious preaching within their domains, warning that sermons capable of inciting religious or sectarian divisions would not be tolerated.
Bago directed that any preacher found promoting hatred or creating tension between Muslims or between Muslims and Christians should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The governor stressed that maintaining peace, religious harmony, and security requires the collective efforts of traditional institutions, community leaders, security agencies, and residents across Niger State.