Criminal Fulani herders in Taraba are to be flushed out within five months.

The leadership of the herders comprised Ardos and Fulani community leaders drawn from 14 out the 16 local government areas of the state gave the pledge on Monday.

They told the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas Tafida, at his palace in Jalingo that the decision was reached following series of meetings they held to review the challenges confronting them.

The herders, led by the State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Sahabi Mahmud, pleaded with the Emir to accept their pledge, undertaking that all the criminal elements amongst them would be identified and flushed out within five months in order to bring the desired peace to the state.

Newsmen report that the Miyetti Allah Chairman read out the pledge which was contained in a communique issued after a stakeholders’ meetings that lasted for several hours.

The meeting was attended by the harders and their Ardos and Jauros across the state as well as the Security Adviser to Gov. Darius Ishaku, rtd Col. Angyo Agbu.

The herdsmen and their leaders also agreed to report back to the Emir on the successes and challenges they might record within the period.

The communique read in part: “Those who repent would be documented, while those that refused to repent and stop kidnapping and other crimes would equally be handed over to security agents to face the appropriate laws of the land.

“We have agreed not to harbour criminals even if they are our biological children and we have sworn to an oath to expose their sponsors no matter their standing in the society,“ the communique further said.