Buhari Tells Police To Publish Names Of Fulani Herders On Trials

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Nigeria Police Force to publish the names of Fulani herdsmen undergoing trials in various states of the federation.

Buhari who also vowed that his government will protect all religious and ethnic groups, whether majority or minority said he is not complicit in the herdsmen crisis rocking many parts of the nation.

The President made this known through the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Monday in a string of tweets.

According to him, "President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that his government will protect all religious and ethnic groups, whether majority or minority in line with its responsibility under the constitution.

"The President condemned such violence and gave an assurance that his government will act decisively to stop the spread of any such violence.

"He appealed to religious and traditional leaders as well governors and other elected leaders across the country to join hands with the Federal Government to ensure that communities in their domain are not splintered along ethnic and other primordial lines".

READ ALSO: Herdsmen Crisis: El-Rufai Tells Governors To Prevent Anarchy (FULL SPEECH)

Speaking on Channel Television Sunrise Daily, Garba Shehu said “The president is more than concerned of the ongoing situation, he is fully conscious of the fact that it is the responsibility of his government to work with Nigerians to secure lives and stop the ongoing crisis whether they are kidnappings or the new line of ethnic violence. He condemns it and he does not support it.

“Having spoken against it, it follows that all security agencies must take their line of action from the president’s remark and do that which is necessary which is to stop the escalation of the violent attacks being witnessed in some parts of the country and ensure that it does not go beyond where it has been recorded.”

Shehu also described as “uncharitable”, comments made against Buhari, adding that many criminal Fulani herders are being prosecuted.

“I hope the headquarters of the police will take responsibility and publish the full list of Fulani herders who are undergoing trials in various states, particularly in Benue State.

“Trials are going on, convictions have been made and the president cannot be complicit. It is very uncharitable. The president cannot be complicit in the kinds of things being said of him,” he added.

However, the South-West region has been in the eye of the storm lately over the activities of herdsmen who invade farmlands with their cattle, harass farmers, and in some cases kill them. Some herdsmen have also been accused of kidnapping, rape and other vicious crimes.

Many Nigerians including the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, had urged the President to address Nigerians and make it known publicly that he does not support the criminal activities of herdsmen in parts of the country.

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, had also called for the enactment of a law to abolish the movement of cattle by herdsmen from the Northern part of the country to other parts in order to prevent the incessant herdsmen-farmers clashes rocking parts of the country.

But Shehu said his principal is not a “showman” adding that the security agencies are working to tackle the situation.

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that his government will protect all religious and ethnic groups, whether majority or minority in line with its responsibility under the constitution.

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) February 14, 2021

The President condemned such violence and gave assurance that his government will act decisively to stop the spread of any such violence.

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) February 14, 2021

He appealed to religious and traditional leaders as well governors and other elected leaders across the country to join hands with the Federal Government to ensure that communities in their domain are not splintered along ethnic and other primordial lines.

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) February 14, 2021