Alhaji Salihu Abdulkadir, the Sarkin Fulani of Igangan, has clarified that because of the root of his economic success, he would love to return to the Ibarapa region in Oyo State.
When a prominent Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, invaded the Fulani settlement to drive away killer herdsmen, Abdulkadir was vigorously evicted from Igangan.
On January 22, Sunday, Igboho, who had previously given a seven- day ultimatum to all the Sarkin and Fulanis in Igangan to vacate the community due to incessant killing and abduction from the region.
Hoodlums were said to have taken advantage of the incident to set the properties of the Sarkin Fulani on fire as he allegedly escaped through the bush.
Salihu Abdulkadir, who was born in Kwara, has since moved to his home in Ilorin. The evicted Fulani chief, speaking in an interview with a news source, said he had accomplished all he had in life in Igangan.
Seriki stated that he had been living in Igangan since 1972, stressed that majority of people have told him, if he returned, nothing would happen to him.
His words were: " If the whole community agrees that I should go back to Igangan, I will come back. " That is where I make my bread every day. Even though I took cows through my father to Igangan, I have continued to prosper economically since I got to that position, going higher and higher. My cows grow each year, and they never decrease. Why don' t I love going back to a place like that? But, that is if I get guarantees that if I go back there, nothing bad will happen to me. I am not going to go back to Igangan without that. God just saved me from being murdered, ' he said.
Abdulkadir said he lost up to 207 cows, four flats, two face- to- face apartments, cash in excess of N1 million and several cars in the crisis, recounting his ordeal during the attack. He also claimed that during the incident, a brother and four others were killed at the Fulani settlement
Explaining how he made his money, he said, ' From the very beginning, God has blessed me. I have no business than rearing cows.
" He said, " N1. 1 million was burned under my pillow. I had a Venza truck, a Lexus and a Toyota Corolla jeep. A Toyota Camry (Muscle), three Toyota Corolla, a Nissan pickup, and motorbikes. With many other household items, were charred. Aside from my first two face- to- face homes, my four flats were destroyed.
" I' ve lost as many as 207 cows. Some people are robbing my cows right now. They went there, loading my cows with two trucks and driving them away, but I can' t go there to stop them, ' he said.