The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has disagreed with comments made by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar that the rampaging armed Fulani herdsmen are not Nigerians but foreign terrorists.

The Sultan had said in his Eid-el-Kabir message that the herdsmen are peace-loving, stating that those perpetrating the evil act were foreigners.

But the Christian Association of Nigeria in an interview with Punch has asked the Sultan to provide proof to the security agents if he insisted they were not Nigerians.

The General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake said it was possible the Sultan knew something Nigerians are unaware of.

He said, “Foreign terrorists? Well, the Sultan knows them as foreign terrorists, but we know they are Nigerian Fulani herdsmen. If somebody said they are foreign terrorists, what are they doing here (in Nigeria)? Who brought them in?

“That shows that the terrorists are here with a very good authority when they are not supposed to be here. Who hired them?

“If they are foreign terrorists, then, they are not supposed to be going about. So, as far as we are concerned, someone should confirm to us that they are foreign terrorists and who brought them and their means of survival.

“The immigration service should also explain how they came into the country. But before we get all these, the person (Sultan) making the allegation should actually tell us how foreign terrorists got to Nigeria and who brought them. Maybe he knows something about them.”