By Ifeoma Aka
Enugu, Nov. 8, 2023 (NAN) The Hausa community in Enugu State has promised to partner with the state government to tackle kidnappings in the state.
They also frowned at the situation where their members were accused of being responsible for the kidnappings in the state, saying they would no longer accept such negative profiling.
The Sarikin Hausawa in the state, Alhaji Haruna Suleiman, stated this in Enugu on Wednesday when he turbaned 47 persons as part of activities to mark Hausa Cultural Day.
Suleimen regretted that the profiling of the community have cost them much, as many people are afraid of doing business with them, stressing that they are neither kidnappers nor responsible for the kidnappings in the state.
The leader of the Hausa community, however, commended the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for not buying into the negative profiling, which the community had suffered.
“The very reason of turbaning my people were mainly because of security in the state.
“I have listened to Gov. Peter Mbah, saying he is not going to call or blame any particular religion or tribe for the kidnapping and killings in Enugu because there are Hausa kidnappers, Fulani kidnappers and Igbo kidnappers.
“So when we catch anyone, we should call him kidnapper, not a Fulani herdsman, a Hausa or an Igbo man.
“On our part as Hausa community, any of us who is not working but is driving a very big car will be apprehend and sent to the security agency for questioning.
“Again, anyone we see that is always sitting in hotels, womanizing even when jobless, will be arrested and sent to the security agencies.
“Some of the people turbaned are Cattle Rearers. They will be our eyes in the bushes, and will tell us what is happening there.
“We want to show the public of Enugu that Hausas are not kidnappers and we are going to work with the government to see that all kidnappers, bad eggs among us, are taken to the law,” Suleiman said.
The leader of the Hausa community then thanked Gov. Mbah for carrying them along in the governance of the state; a gesture he noted would not be taken for granted.
According to him, the governor graciously employed 600 persons from the community to join in the sweeping of the streets, which, he noted, was better that roaming the streets. (NAN)
