Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, has stated that the group which claimed responsibility for the attack on Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State, is a foreign-sponsored group affiliated to the Islamic State (ISIS).
Fani-Kayode made the claim in a series of posts on Twitter on Monday in reaction to the group’s declaration.
Governor Ortom had on Saturday claimed that armed herdsmen who are members of Miyetti Allah numbering about 15 attacked him in his farm at Tyo-Mu community, near Makurdi, the state capital.
The Fulani Nationality Movement (
Reacting, Fani-Kayode said the main aim of FUNAM is to destabilise and destroy Nigeria with the declaration.
According to the former minister, the group has a close relationship with ISIS West Africa and collaborate with them on intelligence and operations.
He noted that the backers of the group are mainly foreign Fulani ethnic members, warning that the Federal Government must treat the as a terrorist group just as it does to Boko Haram.
He added that Governor Ortom must be protected at all costs as his life is in danger following the revelation by FUNAM.
FUNAM, who have claimed responsibility for the attack on and attempted assassination of Gov. Ortom of Benue state, is a foreign-based, foreign-sponsored and foreign-manned counter intelligence operation whose sole purpose is to destabilise and destroy Nigeria. 1/ pic.twitter.com/tgmmnl9nRW
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) March 22, 2021
“They are closely affiliated with ISIS West Africa and often share intelligence and collaborate with them in joint operations.
“Though they do have a few local allies, in the main they do not represent the Fulani of Nigeria but only the foreign Fulani terrorists and their international backers who want to throw Nigeria into chaos, drive us into a civil war and cause us to slaughter one another so that they can come into our country in full force and pick up the pieces. They are a cancer that need to be cut out of our body politic.
“The attempt to assassinate a sitting Governor by this terrorist organisation takes this whole thing to a different dimension. Ortom must be fully protected and the Fed. Govt. must shut down FUNAM in Nigeria, declare them a terrorist organisation and arrest or eliminate all their members, friends & associates before they push us into an avoidable & horrific full-scale civil war.
“The only other terrorist org. that has had the nerve and audacity to attempt to kill a Governor is Boko Haram who have tried to murder Gov. Zulum of Borno state.
“FUNAM must be viewed & treated in exactly the same way as Boko Haram& the full might & force of the Nig. military & FG must be unleashed against them. The murder of innocents has no place in a civilised society & those that unleash terror on our people must be utterly crushed,” he tweeted.
