Femi Adesina, presidential
spokesman, says it is “very unkind” to say attacks by herdsmen are rampant
because President Muhammadu Buhari is Fulani.
He said the issue between
herdsmen and locals had been existing long before Buhari became president.
According to Adesina, between
2013 and May 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan was president, 756 people were killed
in herdsmen attacks.
He said the issue is “pure
criminality” and has nothing to do with the tribe of the incumbent president.
In a video posted on his Facebook
page on Wednesday, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity
said Buhari is determined to “crack this issue”.
He said: “Something that is
disturbing that I have heard about it is linking those developments to the fact
that a Fulani man is president and so, he is brooking such kind of evil acts.
“I think that is very unkind. And
I will try to back my position with statistics.
“In 2013, particularly, there
were nine cases of herdsmen invading communities in Benue state alone and more
than 190 people were killed.
“In 2014, there were about 16 of
such tragic developments with more than 231 people killed. And then there was a
change of government in May 2015. But between January and May 2015, there were
six attacks which left about 335 people dead.
“Now, the question is, during
that period, did we have a Fulani president?
“This is showing us that the
issue of herdsmen attacking settlements, attacking farmers, attacking
communities is pure criminality and it is something that government must deal
with.
“It is the duty of government to
preserve the lives of the citizenry. It is the responsibility of government to
maintain law and order and that this government is determined to do.
“Therefore, let nobody say that
all this is happening because we have a Fulani president.
“We have had many Fulani
presidents in the past and this issue of herders and local communities at
loggerheads has predated this government.
“But I will just like to appeal
to Nigerians that the Muhammadu Buhari government is determined to crack this
issue, is determined to get to the bottom of it and it will get done.”
Suspected Fulani herdsmen have
attacked two Benue communities in 2018 alone, prompting the president to order
Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, to relocate to the state over the
matter.
At least 55 people were said to
have been killed in a recent attack on Lau local government area of Taraba
state.
Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate,
reacting to the spate of killings, on Wednesday said herdsmen have declared war
on Nigeria.
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Double standards. Your patron has shown clearly that he is on the side of his kinsmen. Please,save your charade for your grand children. Better tell Mr President the truth. For less criminal actions without murder he sent crocodiles,pythons etc against the culprits. This actions of his kinsmen deserve greater degree or measure of force to handle. And you people are there playing pranks with the lives of innocent Nigerians. Their blood is on your hands.
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