…directs police authorities to publish names of herders undergoing trial
. ‘Buhari not complicit in herders’ atrocities’
Presidency says the police are already prosecuting some Fulani herders for various offences in courts across the country, charging the Force’s high command to publish list of herdsmen currently undergoing trials.
Presidency, which spoke on Monday, also cleared President Buhari, who is also a Fulani, of any complicity in the alleged criminal activities of some suspected killer herdsmen.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated these while speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme.
According to Shehu, , “The President is more than concerned of the ongoing situation, he is fully conscious of the fact that it is the responsibility of his government to work with Nigerians to secure lives and stop the ongoing crisis whether they are kidnappings or the new line of ethnic violence. He condemns it and he does not support it.
“Having spoken against it, it follows that all security agencies must take their line of action from the president’s remark and do that which is necessary which is to stop the escalation of the violent attacks being witnessed in some parts of the country and ensure that it does not go beyond where it has been recorded.”
Shehu also said accusing Buhari of complicity was “uncharitable”, adding that many criminal Fulani herders were already undergoing prosecution.
He said, “I hope the headquarters of the police will take responsibility and publish the full list of Fulani herders who are undergoing trials in various states, particularly in Benue State.
“Trials are going on, convictions have been made and the President cannot be complicit. It is very uncharitable. The President cannot be complicit in the kinds of things being said of him.”
Buhari had last week, promised that his administration would not allow any ethnic or religious group to fan the embers of hatred and violence against other groups.
Lately in the South-West , herdsmen have laid siege to many communities, invading farmlands with their cattle, harassing farmers, and in some cases killing them.
Also, some herdsmen have also been accused of kidnapping, rape and other vicious crimes.
Many Nigerians, including the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, had recently advised President Buhari to address Nigerians and clear himself of any complicity in the criminal activities of herdsmen in some parts of the country.
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, had also called for the enactment of a law to abolish the movement of cattle by herdsmen from the Northern part of the country to other parts in order to prevent the incessant herdsmen-farmers clashes rocking parts of the country.