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Presidency says ISIS, those plotting ‘a war’ behind killings

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Amnesty report on human rights violation leaves Presidency, Army fuming

Presidency has pointed accusing fingers at Islamic State (IS) and some individuals within and outside Nigeria as being behind the endless killings of Ngerians especially in the North.

The Presidency also noted that some Fulani herdsmen who have taken to criminality are also part of those behind the killings.

This was stated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, when he appeared on Channels Television’s breakfast programme on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said, “It is very clear that there is an attempt by some people, within and outside the country, to create a war.

“There is intelligence available that clearly indicates that, yes, there are Fulani herds people who kill but this country also suffers from attacks by ISIS which has come into the country and they found a place in the cleavages that divide the country.”

Fulani herdsmen have constantly been accused by many Nigerians of masterminding several killings in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kaduna, and Kogi states since the beginning of the year.

There have also been killings in state’s like Zamfara, Adamawa and some others.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari, who continue to maintain that herders-farmers clash is an age-long crisis, had in recent claims, accused fleeing men recruited by the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, as being behind the killings.

But confronted with the issue on Wednesday, Shehu stated that the north-central region of the country has been affected.

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He then claimed that Islamic State sect aware that religion is the “dividing line” between the Muslims and the Christians, as well as the northern and southern parts of the country, is harping on that to kill Nigerians.

“Yes, the Fulani herdsmen who have taken to this criminality; there is also the Islamic State in West Africa factor, and the fact that the opposition political party seems to be operating from a different country,” Shehu insisted.

 

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