By Dan Share, former SSG Enugu State
I wish to formally inform great sons and daughters of the land that I am safely back to your fold. I have just recovered my phone lines. Most importantly, I sincerely wish to profoundly thank all of you for the great show of love showered on me and my family during the trying times.
The journey through the den of the Fulani marauders was harrowing, but God reigned supreme. I assure all of you that I was elected to undergo the journey so that none of you will ever taste of such bitter pills. I left a prayer in that forest which shall continually barricade you and yours from kidnappers.
However, in every cloud there is a silver lining. By the grace of God, I maintained stable mindset through the peregrination and that offered me surreptitious voyage into the psychology, motives, and modus operandi of the criminals.
I was able to establish unequivocally that these recent acts of kidnap don’t have any link with the herders. That is to say, that the Fulani herdsmen have no hands in this ugly development. These guys are criminal gang drawn from different Fulani nations who kidnap for ransom. As a matter of fact, they see the herders as saboteur. In as much as they would not attack the herders, as it’s said that blood is thicker than water, they carefully avoided the herders so as not to be exposed to the public/security agents.
The criminal gang is a cartel built around the Fulani Marauders, bad eggs in our security agencies, and few natives or residents with fulani background.
I gathered my facts firsthand from personal observations and information released to me by the leader of the gang who confessed his love for my loyalty and calmness. He mentioned to me directly that some members of the gang wielding the AK assault rifles were service men. It was the same gang- leader who told me that they avoid Fulani herdsmen because they talk ‘cho cho cho ‘ about the gang.
*TIPS
1. Do not be too confident nor rely on the presence of the security agents who build pockets of roadblocks on our highways. The roadblock in the least, slows the speed of your vehicle and secures your delivery (like a baby in the cradle bed) into the hands of the criminals. Have you asked yourself why every major attack takes place at about half a kilometre from checkpoints. Let me leave it at that.
2. The criminals have an eye for big/exotic vehicles, especially SUVs. So, if you travel in such vehicles, you must be very watchful and as well, move as fast as your wheels can carry you along the lonely parts.
3. It is commendable that His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State has taken decisive and progressive steps which includes but not limited to vigorously clearing the bush parts to create clear view of the shoulders of the highway. The criminals take advantage of the encroachment of the bush to lurk at the edge of the road which enhances quick and sudden surge to attack motorists.
4. The Criminals bill their captives according to perceived capacity or status. For those who dress gorgeously or have penchant for gold or costly apparels, it’s advised that you try as much as you can to maintain low profile while traveling. The boys know the cost of everything found on you and will profile and bill you accordingly.
Finally, I thank the Government of Enugu State for the steps so far taken to tackle this menace unarguably imported into our peaceful State. They are imported, and I am confident the Government has all it takes to fish out who is doing what and , consequently, nip the hydra-headed monster in the bud.
May afflictions never rise the second time!
DAN SHERE, former SSG, Enugu State
