President Muhammadu Buhari has given a clear order to military authorities to deal decisively with armed herdsmen terrorising various communities in the country. The president spoke on Monday night when he met with members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the presidential villa, Abuja. Buhari said his administration would stop the killings allegedly perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen. According to the president, all heads of security agencies have been ordered to take necessary action to apprehend and expose those behind the heinous attacks.
“In the last 10 years, crude oil sold for more than $100 per barrel, but Nigeria did not save. That is why we have found ourselves where we are today,” Buhari told the Catholic Bishops, led by Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos. The attack in Enugu by the Fulani herdsmen claimed its first casualty yesterday. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, ordered the immediate redeployment of the Enugu State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Nwodibo Ekechukwu. The CP was redeployed in the wake of herdsmen attack on a Ukpabi-Nimbo community in the state. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, confirmed the redeployment.
“Yes, he has been redeployed. He has been replaced by CP Emmanuel Ojukwu.” Ojukwu until yesterday was in charge of Kogi State Police Command. Meanwhile, Nigerians living in the United Kingdom yesterday protested in London over what they described as the senseless killings of innocent persons by Fulani herdsmen.
The protesters, under the aegis of London Protest Against Fulani Herdsmen, Mr. Chidi Ughonu, visited the UK Westminster Parliament to seek international support for the agitation against the armed herdsmen.
According to Ughonu, the protest is in response to the recent attack at Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani community in Enugu State, where about 40 people were killed with scores wounded and property worth millions of naira destroyed by suspected herdsmen. Similar attacks by Fulani herdsmen had taken place in Oyo, Ondo, Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states. Ughonu said that the protest would also hold in the United States, Canada and across cities in Europe.
Also, governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday stormed Enugu to condole with the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and people of the state over the loss of their citizens in the recent attack on Ukpabi-Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area by suspected herdsmen.
The governors included Rochas Okorocha (Imo), who is also the chairman of the APC Governor’s Forum; chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Kashim Shettima (Borno); Badaru Abdulahi (Jigawa); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simeon Achuba and Deputy Governor of Yobe State, Abubakar Aliyu. Okorocha, who led the delegation, condemned the killings. He described the incident as a crime and should be treated as such.
The Imo State governor further noted that the APC governors would join hands with the Federal Government to bring justice to the people and ensure that such killing was the last anywhere in the country. “We are governors from various states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing our government, representing the Progressive Governors’ Forum of the APC.
We are here because of the recent conflict that took place in Enugu State that recorded the loss of many lives. “As you are aware, death is death and it can be very painful, no matter what shape or form it comes. But the most painful thing is the death that is man-made and one that one never expected. So, we are here because we are one and this nation of ours is one, irrespective of political party affiliation.
We are APC government, you are PDP, but in death, there is no party. So, we have come here to express our genuine concern over the great loss. “Again, we want to condemn in its entirety any criminal activities, whatever form or shape it may take.
What is criminal is criminal and we see this as an act of criminality. Most often, in our country, rather than addressing the issue of criminality, we tend to trivialise it. We either associate it with party or tribe or religion. But let me tell you, a criminal in Borno is the same as a criminal in Enugu State and in Imo State and Osun State. So, we must begin to separate criminals from wherever they come from and treat them as criminals.”
Shettima traced the history of relationship between the North and Enugu State, recalling that the first Mayor of Enugu State, Alhaji Umaru Altine, was from Katsina State in the North.
He said: “In a period like this, we must be able to maintain clear-headedness about the challenges that face us as a country and we know that these are very difficult times for our country. Times like this call for sobriety, for maturity, for levelheadedness and I want to pay a special tribute to my brother, the governor of Enugu State, for showing leadership in moments of crisis.”
Ugwuanyi expressed happiness for the sympathy visit, saying that it was “heart-warming and goes to confirm that Nigerians, all over the country, do share a common sense of grief and loss with us over this unfortunate incident.”
“I recall that most of you had earlier, during our last meeting, extended condolences to me, but your coming here in person today, also demonstrates your love and high regard for the people of Enugu State.”
The chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzo, said the only appeal they have for the Federal Government was to fish out the perpetrators of Nimbo killings and to prevent similar thing from happening anywhere else in the country. Meanwhile, the Enugu State House of Assembly yesterday called for the redeployment of all security chiefs in the state.
The lawmakers lamented the alleged the dereliction of duty and criminal betrayal by the security agencies, which resulted in the attack. The House maintained that what transpired at Nimbo should be conveyed to all the international human rights organisations.
