President Muhammadu Buhari has finally broken his disquieting silence over inter-ethnic clashes across Nigeria, vowing to protect all religious and ethnic groups.
Even though people were expecting him to speak directly, his intervention came via a statement by spokesman, Garba Shehu.
And the statement did not pointedly address the grievances of the warriors.
He simply made promises.
Buhari said his government will protect all religious and ethnic groups, whether majority or minority in line with its responsibility under the constitution.
President Buhari warned that the government will not allow any ethnic or religious group to stoke up hatred and violence against other groups.
The President condemned such violence and gave assurance that his government will act decisively to stop the spread of any such violence.
He appealed to religious and traditional leaders as well governors and other elected leaders across the country to join hands with the Federal Government to ensure that communities in their domain are not splintered along ethnic and other primordial lines.
Critics have attacked Buhari for keeping some aloofness over ethnic clashes, especially those involving Fulani herdsmen and farmers in South West Nigeria.
Buhari also spoke three days after the bloody clash in Shasha, in Ibadan Oyo state, between Yoruba and Hausa Fulani traders.
Governor Seyi Makinde had since shut market, where the violence started and imposed a curfew.
