Popular Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has formed an advocacy group aimed at championing the rights of Fulani herders.
Mr Gumi announced the creation of the group known as Nomadic Rights Concern (NORIC) during his Ramadan sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna.
He said it will bring attention to the abuses and violations of rights of Fulani herders.
“We found it worthwhile to establish Nomadic Rights Concern (NORIC) to be headed by Professor Umar Labbo. NORIC is supposed to be a channel whereby Nomads will have their complaints and agitation addressed to the right authorities.
“So many have complaints about the loss of family members. Others are in the prisons of security apparatus for many years without offence and trial in a competent court of justice.
“The organisation was established to address these fallouts, hopefully, nomads will follow the civil ways in addressing their grievances away from violence, it’s said that violence is the language of the unheard, Mr Gumi said.
He said the nomads will channel their grievances to the NORIC, which will help them take legal means of getting redress.
Mr Gumi also used the sermon to appeal to armed bandits operating in the country’s Northwest region to accept peace and let go of their weapons.
“We appeal to you (the armed bandits) to fear God and take the path of peace. You should emulate one of you who have just unconstitutionally, released all captives under him, he repented and seek God’s forgiveness, Mr Gumi said.
He did not state the name of the bandit leader he was referring to.
On the Kaduna train attack, the cleric called on the gunmen to release all the captives and channel their grievances civilly.
Before he created the organisation, Mr Gumi had visited some of the armed bandits and cattle herders in the forests in Zamfara and Niger states. He also took medical services to them and has been urging the Federal Government to grant them amnesty, as they did to the Niger Delta militants.
The Ramadan lecture attracted thousands of in-person listeners and viewers on Facebook via Facebook Live.
Meanwhile, during the lecture, Mr Gumi presented awards of excellence to the publisher of Desert Herald Newspaper, Tukur Mamu, and Ishaq Akintola, a professor, and the founder, of Muslims Right Concern, (MURIC). He said the duo had distinguished themselves in speaking up for the oppressed.