Buhari writes Senate on his plans to curb farmers/herdsmen clashes

President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate to intimate it on steps he has taken in resolving herders-farmers’ clashes in the country, particularly, the recent killings in Benue State.

In the letter, Buhari said plans were already underway to restructure the country’s security architecture to conform with the existing global realities.

In a letter, dated 25th of January, 2018, but acknowledged by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Tuesday, Buhari revealed that contrary to lawmakers’ claims, the police is working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of the heartless killings

In the letter titled “Re: Report on the Review of Security Infrastructure on Nigeria on the Emergency Visit to Benue State”, he wrote: “To infer therefore that nothing has been done, is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings.”

He also hinted that plans are underway to restructure and decentralise the country’s security apparatus.

Buhari in the letter, told senators: “On December 19, 2017 to be precise, while receiving the report of the committee that was set up to review the technical and administrative structure of the national intelligence agencies, I underscored the need to review the entire national security architecture as I promised in my inaugural address on the 29th May 2015.

“As I speak, action is being initiated to receive maximum cooperation from the Senate in line with the resolutions you forwarded to me.”

Buhari revealed that he had already given marching orders to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to speed up his efforts and bring perpetrators of the massacre in Benue State to justice.

He also explained other steps so far taken by his government, to resolve the herders-farmers clashes in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa States.

“Furthermore, I have instructed the IGP to relocate to Benue State and redeploy forces to the most sensitive towns. The Federal Government is initiating measures to address these and other security challenges, alleviate the consequence of these attacks and forestall reoccurrence.

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“The senate resolution itemised in your letter would be taken into consideration and I am instructing all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to factor them in their work.”

The letter further reads: “As I briefed you (Saraki) and the Speaker when we met, several courses of action have been taken prior to the Senate resolution. You may recall that I told you of the following steps taken as soon as the information came to me about the Benue killings.

“On Thursday 4th January, I sent the minister of Interior and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of operations for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

“On Friday 5th January, the Inspector-General of Police briefed me verbally on the latest situation and that calm had then been restored.

“On Monday 8th, the minister of Interior met with the following: governors of Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Benue Taraba and Nasarawa together with the Director-General of the State Security Services (DSS), IGP, Comptroller-General of Civil Defence Corps, minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and police commissioner of the six aforementioned states.

“After the meeting, I instructed the minister of Interior to brief you on the information gathered so far and steps taken.

“On Tuesday, 9th of January, at a session with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, during which I informed of police arrests of some suspects. In addition, I told him that have I had instructed the IGP to speed up the trial of the suspects and give wide publicity of police efforts.

“At the instance of the governor, a meeting was held in the Presidential Villa on 15th with a wide cross-section of Benue personalities and frank and open discussions were held. Everybody appreciated the difficulties of this farmers-herders strife. I assured all of my commitment and assured justice would be done.”
By Ehisuan Odia…

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