FG Clears The Air On Attacks And Killings By Herdsmen In Benue
…says allegations against Buhari unkind, incorrect
Insinuations and allegations that the attacks and killings are happening because President Buhari is Fulani are both unkind and incorrect. These attacks long predated the Buhari government. In 2013, no fewer than nine cases of herdsmen attacks were recorded in Benue State alone, with more than 190 people killed. In 2014, there were no fewer than 16 recorded attacks in Benue, which claimed more than 230 victims. Between January and May 2015, six attacks left more than 300 people dead, again in Benue State alone.
This historical context is important for a proper understanding of the issue, and to avoid unnecessarily politicising what should be regarded and dealt with as acts of criminality. These attacks have been a longstanding issue, and successive governments have struggled to contain the situation.
The Buhari administration is more than fully committed to bringing the cycle of violence to an end, prosecuting the attackers, and preventing further killings and attacks. The security agencies have standing instructions to arrest and prosecute any and all persons found with illegal arms.
Federal interventions
The recent killings in Benue and Taraba States have elicited the following Federal responses:
1. President Buhari has met with the Governor of Benue State on the matter to assure him of the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting farmers and communities.
2. President Buhari has directed the Inspector General of Police to relocate to Benue State.
3. On Monday January 8, 2018, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau convened a security meeting on the issue, bringing together Federal and state government officials: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Heads of security agencies, and the Governors of the most affected States: Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Taraba.
4. On Wednesday January 10, 2018, the IG held a stakeholders engagement with the Benue State government, elders, community, religious and traditional leaders etc
5. Since the first week of January, immediately following the January 1 attacks, the Inspector General of Police has deployed the following to the affected areas:
• Ten (10) Units of PMF
• Police Special Forces
• Counter Terrorism Units
• Conventional Policemen.
• Police Explosive Ordinance Department
• Special Police Joint Intelligence and Investigation Teams
• Police Aerial Surveillance Teams (Police Helicopters)
6. The Nigerian Army has deployed Special Forces to Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa States.
7. In Benue State, eight (8) suspected herdsmen are in Police custody over the recent killings, and are currently being prosecuted.
8. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is working to establish cattle colonies across the country, in 2018. These colonies will provide grass and water for the cattle, and education and healthcare facilities for herders. They will also have Agro-Rangers deployed to secure the facilities.
• Being text of a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Presidency Media Office.
27 Comments
excellent,if truly Federal Government has taken those steps, indeed, the issue of famers and Fulani herdsmen conflict will be history in this country. However, Federal Government must find out who are actually responsible for recent unfortunate killing in Benue and Trans State respectively. As Nigerians, we want to know the true. we want know whether or not, Fulani herdsmen were responsible? Whether or not ,the Governor of Benue State has formed arm militia as civilian joint task force or guard? Whether or not, the young men arrested with All 47 guns in Benue State by the Nigerian Military were actually working for the Governor? Nigerians want to know the truth. Shuaibu Muazu Esq
One thing is crystal clear from the incessant killings in Nigeria since the inception of democracy. There is urgent need for a round table discussion on the people’s agitation and the way forward which is ideal in a democratic setting. If we fail to tackle this issue from all spheres in Nigeria, our unity shall always be threatened by one crisis or another. In other words, our union (Nigeria) is negotiable as long as democracy is concern. May the soul of all that have died in the polity, Nigeria, due to our self idiosyncrasies rest in perfect peace! Amen! I love my Nigeria cos I have no other place to call my country . Long live Nigeria!
Is govt waiting for something heinous to happen before it would take action! Any serious govt suppose to be proactive on sensitive issue like resource conflict.
It is not right for FG to acquire cattle colonies across the country for herders, that is taking side on the matter to protect Fulani’s interest, what happen to farmers who are the indigenes using those land for farming activities, will every state of the federation also give land otherwise refer to as farm produced colonies especially in the Northern part of Nigeria. please legislation to stop the flow of herdsmen from their own States to other state is the panacea to these incessant killings in our nation.
Its only a human you can mock but God who sees the innermost can’t be mocked. Looking deeply into the various appointments made by PMB govt , one could vividly see how highly lopsided it is. Recently,his son had an accident & his father immediately sacked 3 security officers & see the team of doctors running up & down to save his life as if others were born differently. see team of corpses loaded on trailers for mass burial yet the team of Federal Ministers keeping vigil over Yusuf in his hospital do not consider it necessary to rally round the family of d victims but rather busy making conflicting remarks on Benue issues. I wonder how PMB will stand before Benue & other victim states to campaign & them promises he would have to offer them. God have mercy on us .
This APC government is full of foolishness are they defending what is not true, but even it is so buhuwari said the will put an end of it why up till now, fashola said if they did not put lights in other in six months they should be stone and now are putting highest tariff in fact this the useless government ever seen.
This APC government is full of foolishness are they just defending what is not true, but even it is so buhuwari said the will put an end of it why up till now, fashola said if they did not put lights in other in six months they should stone them and now is the highest tariff in fact this is a useless government ever seen.
something heineous has more than occurred that has various shown how irresponsible and heartless the administration is. the shut down and non reaction of security agencies to those killing as at when it happened or even taken preventive measures bearing in mind repeated attacks previously shows complicity on part of the security agencies. which must unfortunately has 80% if their leadership picked from the hausa Fulani ethnic group…
I’ll like to state here that :1 inspector general of police did not respond to the issue earlier today enough.His first response was that every community is well policed and that Benue issue is mere misunderstanding in the community. 2 Buhari has never for once rebuke the Fulani their evil. you can imagine someone came out boldly to say that some cows were stolen is the reason why killed over 80 people in Benue and over 50inTaraba. F G fail to order the arrest of such person. Buhari is always giving options that will favour the Fulani ,like grazing zone, cattle colonies. if Fulani has been killing people since the time of Jonathan, is the enough evidence that they are evil. A farmer planted on his farm with huge amount and energy only to find out the Fulani are uprooting his cassava to feed their cattle. If the farmer dare to question them, they will kill him. As at today fulanis are uprooting my cassava to feed their cattle here in Ijebu Norh Local Government of Ogun State. we saw how Buhari some things happen to Fulani in Too state in year 2000.FG is only defending them for their evil and its more likely that they are having hidden agenda
A good icing on the cake. Let’s downplay politics of ethnic hatred. Who can dispute these facts that have been brought to the public domain? Pass this fact to disabuse the minds of cynics
This type of excuse is not expected from a serious government. It is very shameful and puerile that the federal government should reel out what happened in the previous administration. What effort/action did they take to avoid a repetition since this administration came to power. Now that the worst has happened despite all the alarm raised by the Benue state government and other states, this government is now pretending to be waking up from its slumber. What a shame! These killings have been going on in different states for almost two years but the government pretended or feigned ignorance oftentimes lying through its teeth that they were communal clashes and thus emboldened the murderous Fulani herdsmen to keep killing their fellow human beings at will. I’m waiting to know what actions the government will take against the man who sees cows as being greater than human beings. It goes to show that the massacre is a well planned genocide. The world surely is watching.
The FG has done well for directing the IG to move to Benue State. But why didn’t he deploy the Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole, or Operation Pathon Dance?
FG SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN IMPORTANT STPS BUT TOO LATE TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIVES.WITH D HISTORICAL MALADY IN THOSE AREAS ,THERE IS NEED FOR INTELLIGENCE AND STANDING TO RESPOND TO SUCH SITUATION WITHIN MINUTES OF START OF CRISIS AND EVEN BEFORE IT STARTS.EVEN PREVIOUS GOVTS HAVE NOT FARED BETTER SO NO BASIS FOR POLITICISATION OF THE ISSUE.
THE REQUIRED FIELDS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
In my mind, the Buhari led government acted lately. What happen to the lives of those killed? I think the government was not proactive enough. All the eleven points stated comes after the damage is done. The government should be more proactive please.
Regards colonies for cattle breeders, I opine that the land be hired out in and order to control future abuse.
IAM very sure that the blood of the innocent people that were killed will be required by the Creator not very long. It may be too late to repent when the owner of life pay them perpetrators with emerald and various diseases. I want the nation to take note.
All Nigerians are saying, Buhari end Herdsmen attacks. stop killings of Nigerians by Selected Nigerian sect. OBJ convinced us that it’s better to go prison under PMB, than to stay at home for Boko Haram to come and bomb us and kill us under GEJ, and we voted for you. I beg Baba. remind him we voted him for security not mass burial in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Rivers all over the Country.
Stupid statement, why will they establish a grazing land across the country… The cattle belong to fulanis and not the government or the people of the state.. If they need a land, they should rent or buy peacefully from any individual willing to sell… Will they allow a yoruba man go to the north and farm for free… Or an Igbo man opening a spare sport in a land for free in the north? Pls we are not fulls… He that owns the cattle should sought for his feeding themselves peacefully as orther tribe does to thier personal business.. Lets do what is right because This country is not own by any Religion,group or an individual its own by all…
FG should look for a sensible lie to lie about this Benue killing please stop deceiving us.just come out boldly with your plans.
There is no excuse that can bring back lives lost. The efforts they say they have now put in place are only on paper. Give them five months from now and you will see more killings take place unabated. Those talking about facts should tell that yo the man who lost his family. And I hope the next killings will be close to home so you will really understand that Buhari has failed and heardsmen are evil.
No Fulani cattle rearer should be settled in ranches outside their own states so as to allay fears that govt is taking sides by providing conquered territories as colonies for these agents of death
this cattle colonize option s another attempt to recolonize Nigeria which must be resisted. Ranching the best option…
pls let’s not use our ideological sentiment to over ride the reality, every Nigerian who is willing to speak the truth can tell that, the present administration is still paying for the sins of the last government, and all these wanton killings going on in recent days are politically motivated by enemies who are apparently against the present APC administration. Finally, the people behind it should understand that no evil doer shall go unpunished. Evil done to man by man shall be redress, if not here, then later, if not by man, then by God. The victory of evil over good is temporary.
Huh, how could the present administration be paying for the sins of the last Government, why should they pay for sins they haven’t committed? One could rather say they are facing these are some of their party manifestos which were not made plain to the Nigeria people.
As for me,even if all fulani herdsmen are arrested without the officials of myetii Alah. It is as good as doing nothing.
Wa’o, asking the IG of police to relocate to Benue isn’t the solution to the killing by Fulani herdsmen. Identifying the sponsors of Fulani herdsmen and bringing them to book might be the solution but what of if the responsible body to carry out the assignment to end the killing by Fulani herdsmen is a stakeholder and working at the background for the Fulani’s to do what they are doing? They truth is, we the Citizens in this Country call Nigeria do not know which security arm is ours! How will one know the security agent you are reporting to while trying to run for your dear life isn’t the one to end your life. Is only God that can save us from these Fulani herdsmen EXCEPT GOD.
colonies is not apply, ranching is the best, if you want to rear cow you must abide by the law of that state by doing what they want, not them do, what you want