Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria denies its members killed Funke Olakunrin

FULANI herdsmen's body the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (Macban) has disassociated itself from the recent murder of Afenifere chieftain Reuben Fasoranti's daughter Funke Olakunrin saying its members were not responsible.

On Friday, Mrs Olakunrin, 58, was murdered at Ore in Ondo State when armed men came out of the bush and sprayed her vehicle with bullets while she waited at a toll gate. Of late, armed Fulani herdsmen have declared war on Nigeria, stepping up armed attacks, kidnappings, rapes and robberies across the country, prompting suspicion that they were behind the murder.

Yesterday, the Yoruba Youth Socio-cultural Association gave Macban 72 hours to fish out the murderers or face the consequences. However, Macban has expressed its condolences to the Fasoranti family, indicating that its members had nothing to do with the murder, which is in line with police suggestions that the attack might be the handiwork of armed robbers and kidnappers.

Baba Uthman, Macban's national security officer, said the group recognised the death as a huge loss to the nation and sympathised with the Fasorantis. He also called on irate Nigerians to allow security agencies enough time to investigate the violence and withhold conclusions about the ethnic identity of the killers in the interest of national unity.

Mr Uthman added:  “As we express sincere heartfelt condolence to the family of the deceased. We are left in a deep shock on how a section of the media in collaboration with elements in the country that are hell bent on using every opportunity available to them to fuel crisis as they continue the negative profiling of Fulanis for their total annihilation by jumping into a mischievous conclusion that she was killed by herdsmen.

"We strongly condemn this very unprofessional, unpatriotic and callous news reportage patterns that have been conscripted against our people by the section of the media. We are calling on security agencies to swing into action, and unravel the perpetrators to bring them to justice in the shortest possible time.”

Meanwhile, vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo, All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former party chairman Chief Bisi Akande have all visited Pa Reuben Fasoranti. They all enjoined the police to fish out the killers as quickly as possible.