The Pan-Niger Delta Forum, the pan-Yoruba socio-political
organisation, Afenifere and the Arewa Consultative Forum, on Tuesday
challenged President Muhammadu Buhari
over his silence on killings and kidnappings by herdsmen.
The PANDEF, Afenifere and the pan-northern group, the ACF, in
separate interviews with The PUNCH, challenged the President to speak
out on killings by herders.
The ACF specifically stated that there was nothing wrong in a
statement by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who asked
Buhari to condemn killer herdsmen publicly.
Akeredolu, had in an interview with Channels Television, on Monday,
said, “What we expect from Mr. President is for him to come out and
let Nigerians know that he does not support criminality. He once said,
if you find anybody with arms without a license, they should be
arrested. Security agencies must be at work without rest. Everyone has
said no to open grazing, then the law should follow.”
But the President, while receiving a delegation of Borno/Yobe Elders
Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday attributed the
upheavals being experienced in parts of the country to a few people
with resources and influence.
Condemning Buhari, PANDEF stated that the continued silence of the
President on the killings and attacks by herdsmen in some parts of the
country was suggestive that he had sympathy for them.
The National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, stated this
during a telephone chat with our correspondent.
Robinson said as a responsible group, PANDEF had repeatedly emphasised
the need for the President to rise above sentiments and attachments to
the herders, especially against the backdrop of being in the business
of livestock himself because he is President for all Nigerians.
He stated, “Well, we have continued to emphasise the need for the
Presidency to rise above the sentiments and attachment with these
herdsmen. We understand that cattle rearing or cattle breeding is
predominantly an occupation of the Hausa-Fulani. The President, being
a Hausa-Fulani and himself a cattle breeder, it is understandable that
there are attachments.
“But as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we continue to
ask that he rise above those attachments, tendencies of biases and act
as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
“He is the President of all Nigerians. So, the silence as has been
stated by most patriotic Nigerians is clearly indicates or speaks to
this nepotic tendencies we have been talking about.
“So, the Presidency must at this time that the country’s unity and
stability are being threatened by the activities of these herdsmen and
we, as a responsible group will continue to say that they are not
herdsmen. They are marauders, they are killers. They are just parading
under the guise of herdsmen causing, mayhem with an intention for
territorial expansion and conquest.
“So, continuous silence of the President clearly speaks to the fact
that he has sympathy for these people. And we will continue to say
that he must rise above it, otherwise, of course we may be thrown into
monumental crisis in this country,” the PANDEF spokesman advised.
On his part, Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, stated, “We salute
the governor (Akeredolu) for speaking the truth to power as a man of
true conscience. Buhari is maintaining uncomfortable silence over the
crimes of his people. We have not forgotten that he came to Ibadan in
2000 against Lam Adesina to ask him why his people were killing his
own people. He should ask his people why they are killing others. He
can’t continue to be silent.”
The ACF said that there was nothing for the President to speak out
on the killings and attacks in some parts of the country.
The group through its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe,
told one of correspondents in an interview that such call was
plausible.
The ACF’s spokesman said, “There is nothing wrong in a governor urging
the President to talk to his people in the circumstances we find
ourselves.”
The Middle Belt Forum said that the in insecurity in Nigeria had gone
beyond asking the President to speak up on attacks and killings by
herdsmen.
Speaking to one of our correspondents in Jos on Tuesday ,the National
President of the MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu insisted that what the
situation in Nigeria required was “drastic action” by Mr President
and not “mere speech” if the country must be saved from drifting
deeper into insecurity and eventual collapse .
The MBF President was reacting to a statement credited to the Governor
of Ondo State ,Rotimi Akeredolu that there was the need for the
President ,Major General Muhammadu Buhari not to be silent but speak
up on the killings and attacks by herdsmen in the country .
Pogu said” For me, anything Mr President would say at this time is
belated . What Nigerians want from him is action to stop further
killings and attacks by the herdsmen. He needs to do something that
can be seen and let Nigerians know that he has given a marching order
for the killer herdsmen to be flushed out out of the country because
the local people know where the bandits, Boko Haram or whatever name
they are called ,are located in the forest. “
Expressing concern about violence in parts of the country, Buhari
said those responsible would be identified and dealt with in due
course.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke while receiving a
delegation of Borno/Yobe Elders Forum at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja.
The statement was titled. “We need this country, we will continue to
work for its stability, says President Buhari.”
Adesina quoted the President as saying that “I am confident that we
will eventually convince the small number of people with resource and
influence that are a nuisance to this great country.
“God willing, we will identify them, and deal with them. I am
extremely concerned about your constituency like the rest of the
country.”
Buhari was also quoted as saying that the stability of the country was
of paramount interest to him and the Federal Government.
He said he would continue to work towards it despite the actions of a
few people.
“We need this country. We will continue to work for its stability. I
feel that whatever happens, we will continue to make it, and will keep
on praying to God so that for those who feel that they don’t need
Nigeria, we will succeed over their intentions and actions, the
President said.
Buhari noted the request for the upgrade and development of
infrastructure in the states and assured his guests that while he
would do his best in acceding to the requests, he would however,
prioritise development in education.
“We are aware of the infrastructure deficit. Our priorities will be
education because all our citizens know that children within a
certain age must receive it otherwise if they miss it, the future is
destroyed,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to the leaders for coming to terms with the
positive improvement that has occurred in the states since the
inception of the administration. – Punch.
