HERDSMEN KILLINGS: Why it may not end soon —Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has noted that unless Nigeria gets to the root of killings by suspected herdsmen, there “we will be burying victims”.

The former president also said that “There is no doubt that we haven’t got it right. We haven’t got it right because whatever is behind this, normally in any civilized society we must get to the root of it”.

He spoke on Saturday when he visited Benue State to condole with the state’s Governor Samuel Ortom and the people of the state over the gruesome murder of 73 people on January 1 and 2 and no less than 80 others since then by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

According to him, “We will be assuming what is not assumable, because we must know why this is happening and how we must put an end to it. And somebody must accept the responsibility to put an end to this. If it has to be a collective responsibility, then so be it. But there must be an end to it”.

He said that with the level of suffering and senseless killings in Nigeria, there was no need seeing the country as a free and secure place, where one would expect development to take place and investors to come.

Obasanjo who was received at the Makurdi Airport by Governor Ortom and members of his cabinet and led straight to the graveside of the 73 people murdered on the January 1 and 2, expressed sadness over the wanton killings, saying it was shocking.

“It is sad beyond description and that is why I have taken it upon myself, haven been to Maiduguri where we had a meeting of Zero Hunger Forum. If circumstances were normal, the Benue governor would have been with us.

“So, I am here to pay a condolence visit and share the sadness of Benue people with them.

“I felt coming to the graveside and laying a wreath will express my sorrow and my sympathy and empathy with the family, the Governor, all the people of the state and indeed, all Nigerians without any exception. A Nigerian life lost is loss to all of us.

“Hearing that aside the 73 buried here, more than 80 others have been killed in different parts of Benue is even more shocking. I believe it will be more shocking to all Nigerians who will be hearing that. There is no doubt that we haven’t got it right. We haven’t got it right because whatever is behind this, normally in any civilized society we must get to the root of it”.

Speaking further, he said “We cannot talk of a free, secure country where we will want development to take place and investors to come to be suffering this type of senselessness.

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“I do hope that there would be an end to this. Gorvernor, please accept my condolence and do not give up trying to work with men and women that have the interest of this state and the interest of Nigeria at heart to find a permanent solution.

“This to me goes beyond what is on the surface. And we need to find out what is at the bottom of it. And that is the responsibilities of leaders and of course, they must leave no stone unturned to find what the root cause of this is and put a stop to it.

“Nothing can be worse than what we have seen here; graveside of innocent people who should not have died but have died. The livings still have hope, but those who have died are gone forever. Those who lost their loved ones, what do we say to them? Since I have taken time to come here, I will try to see anything that is worth seeing but finding solution is paramount,” Obasanjo said.

 

 

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