Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has stormed forests in Kogi state to provide medical assistance to Fulani Herdsmen on Tuesday.
Gumi led a team of medical personnel to forests in the state yesterday where they offered medical services to the allegedly ‘rejected’ herdsmen and their families.
This comes after Gumi had recently established a school for the herdsmen in a Kaduna State forest.
Speaking about his choice of Kogi State this time, Sheikh Gumi said it was important to extend the care to the state considering the alarming number of Fulani herdsmen that were forced to relocate from the South East and South West region of the country to Kogi State.
He mentioned also that the visit was to appreciate Governor Yahaya Bello-led government for the victims of rejection to the state and for allowing them to freely decide where to settle down in parts of the state.
A statement made available to newsmen by Sheikh Gumi’s spokesman, Malam Tukur Mamu, on the recent visit to Kogi State reads: “Barely one week after commissioning a school for Fulani herders and other settlers in the strategic Kagarko Game Reserve, Kaduna (where it used to be a centre for organizing operations by bandits), renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi has yet again led a team of Islamic preachers and medical team to another strategic Fulani settlement called Rugan Ardo Zubairu Okebukun in Ayangban Grazing Reserve, in Yagba Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“The Sheikh who went with journalists to see things for themselves left Kaduna on Monday with an entourage of more than 40 people and a fully equipped medical van for the purpose of providing medical support to Fulani victims of violence that were forced to relocate from South East due to consistent attacks on them by IPOB members.
“The medical outreach van is fully air-conditioned with enough space for consultation, bed for observation, space for drugs, pharmacist, nurses, doctor and a small unit for emergency delivery for pregnant women and even CS surgery in case of such emergency.
“Gumi’s choice of Kogi this time around to offer medical support to mainly Fulanis that are victims of violence with his highly committed team is largely due to the alarming number of such victims that were forced to relocate from the South East and South West to Kogi State and to appreciate the Kogi State Government for welcoming them to the state and for allowing them to freely decide where to settle down in parts of the state.”