HERDSMEN KILLINGS: Buhari should admit that he has failed —Wike

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has described as intolerable, killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen across the country.

He asked the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to admit that it has failed to secure lives and property in Nigeria.
The governor who was addressing newsmen in Benue State when he visited the state on Wednesday to commensurate with his counterpart, Samuel Ortom, over killings of 73 people by herdsmen in the state, said “Tell Mr. President that what is going on in this country is not acceptable.”

Wike also expressed disappointment with the Nigerian Police spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, for describing Ortom as ‘a drowning man’.

According to the governor, the statement credited to the Force spokesperson was an “insult on person elected by people.”

He said, “I have instructed the Governors Forum to react to that statement made by the Force spokesperson. It’s an insult that persons elected by their people would be referred to as ‘drowning.’ It’s only in this our democracy that you can hear that kind of statement.”

Saying that he had instructed the Governors Forum led by Zamfara State governor to summon an emergency meeting for the issue to be discussed, Wike added, “The problem I have is that when we see issues that affect the nation, we play party politics with them. We should go beyond party politics. It doesn’t matter whether the governor is a PDP governor or APC governor.”

Like the state governor, Wike believed that the attacks have got to a point where Benue people must start defending themselves as well as going to bed with one eye opened.

He said, “I was shouting this, but nobody believed it. Now it is in Benue… What I’m saying is that when a robber comes to your house and knocks at your door and you say ‘God help me,’ you must help yourself first.

READ ALSO: To call Gov Ortom a “drowning man” is an insult to all governors by Police, Fayose fumes

“They have inflicted serious injury on Benue, many have been turned into orphans, others into widows. Let the leaders admit their failure. Tell Mr. President that what is going on in this county is not acceptable.

“You know everybody would want to be the favourite child to Mr. President; but for me, I always speak the truth. My salvation will come from God and not from man.”

Responding Governor Ortom appreciated the people of Rivers State for the show of friendship.

He used the occasion to insist that Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, must resign for allegedly “failing in his responsibilities to arrest those already identified as behind the Benue attacks.”

 

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now