Buhari prefers action than talk to end herdsmen killings –Presidency

The Presidency has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari is more inclined to taking action rather than talking to stop the incessant killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue, Taraba and some other states of the country.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated this on Sunday when he appeared on Channels Television’s programmed tagged Sunday Politics.

Shehu was reacting to allegations that President Buhari’s sudden change of mind to visit some of the states that have suffered more of the wanton killings by herdsmen and other criminal elements was politically motivated.

According to him, Buhari did not immediately visit the affected states because he was acting than talking to stop the killings.

Buhari had recently visited Taraba where over 80 people have been killed and is scheduled to be in Benue, where more than 100 have been killed including 73 killed on the New Year’s Day, this Monday.

On the programme for Buhari’s visit to Benue, Shehu said, “The programme, as it stands now, is as we had it in Taraba. There will be a meeting of stakeholders in the State House.

“The President will listen to all the parties in the conflict and thereafter, he will deliver his own homily and, of course, sympathies to the people over the unfortunate losses of persons and property.

“I would have thought that if he had intended to inject politics into it, he would have been on the plane the morning after the incident.

“But he chose to act, rather than to talk and as you have seen yourself over this period of time, there was intervention by law enforcement, there was intervention by NEMA and aid agencies.”

He frowned at some people and group, who he said are leveraging the tragic incidents to score political points, saying “They are just celebrating and exalting over all of these matters instead of coming together so that we can solve the problems.”

READ ALSO: Minister Lai explains reasons herdsmen kill farmers

He went further to say that Buhari never promised Nigerians an absolute crime-free Nigeria during his campaigns in 2015.

“I think that nobody, no politician should try to deceive Nigerians by saying that there is a country without lawlessness.

“Even when he campaigned – the President, yes, committed to ridding the country of terror but he would never have said that this country would be 100 per cent without criminality.”

The president’s spokesperson however said that the Buhari administration is putting all needed efforts to make sure lives and properties of Nigerians in all parts of the country are secured.

Buhari had also last week visited Plateau State and while he was in the state for a two-day visit herdsmen attacked and killed six. Since that visit, no less than 16 persons have been killed by suspected herdsmen.

 

 

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