The Special Adviser on Security to the Plateau State Governor, Brig. Gen. G. Shipi (rtd), has dismissed claims making the rounds on social and conventional media that he declared Fulani as indigenes of the state.
He described the reports as a misrepresentation of his comments at a public engagement and clarified that such a declaration is outside the scope of his office.
Addressing journalists at the Operation Rainbow headquarters in Jos, Shipi explained that he attended an event organised by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Community Relations to the Fulani community, Alhaji Suleiman Musa Abubakar, at Sharna Hotel — an occasion that, according to him, had “nothing to do with the subject of indigenship.”
“I was the last to speak, and before I did, several issues had already been raised. While addressing one or two of those issues, the misconception arose,” he said.
Shipi noted that his remarks, made in Hausa, were meant to encourage peace and unity among Fulani residents by urging them to reject any external influences allegedly behind violent attacks in the state.
“I said that if the Fulani are claiming to be ’ yan kasa ’ (sons of the soil), then they should not accept outsiders trying to incite them to commit atrocities against their own people.
“They should reject such persons and say, ‘We are sons and daughters of this place; we will not harm our own people,”he explained.
He stressed that the phrase ’ yan kasa ’ was used purely in the context of promoting peace, not as an official recognition of indigenship.
“I have my notes from that day; there is nothing in them about indigenship. Even the forum itself had nothing to do with that subject. It is not within my office to make such a declaration,” he stated.
Acknowledging that the misinterpretation may have caused distress, Shipi expressed regret and offered an apology.
“I know many people were pained by the way this was reported, and I sincerely apologise to anyone hurt by the statement. It was not meant the way it has been interpreted,” he said.
He also urged journalists to report sensitive issues in their proper context to avoid unnecessarily inflaming tensions.
“Let us present stories in their truthful context and consider whether they will do good for the society. There is no point publishing something that could cause upheaval in our fragile security situation,” Shipi added.
Concluding, he appealed to Plateau residents to move past the controversy and work towards lasting peace, stressing that there was “no intention to cause harm or disharmony.”
