It’s Satanic to suggest I am
indifferent to killings by herdsmen -
Buhari
President Buhari addressed a delegate of the CAN
from the 19 northern states on the killings in some
parts of the country
- The president promised to bring an end to the
killings, listing the steps his administration has taken
so far
- He added that only evil-minded people will say he is
condoning the killings
President Muhammadu Buhari says only evil-
minded people will accuse him of condoning
killings being carried out by suspected herdsmen
in some parts of the country, adding that it is
Satanic for anyone to suggest that he is
indifferent about the carnage
Addressing a Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) delegation from the 19 northern states at
the presidential villa in Abuja on Thursday, July
5, Buhari said no right thinking individual will
think that having secured substantial votes from
the areas affected by the crisis, he will turn
around to harm the same people, the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
NAIJ.com gathered that Buhari also said those
accusing his administration of doing nothing to
stop the killings are being unfair.
He reiterated that the killings did not start with
his administration but he was doing everything
to end it.
“When some (people), for clearly political purposes,
attempt to suggest that this government is doing nothing
about the killings and that I, being Fulani, must be
encouraging these satanic acts, it seems to me that there
no limit to the evil in the minds of these men,” he said.
“Otherwise, how can anyone in their right minds suggest
that I, as an elected President even with substantial votes in
the affected areas, will for any reason do harm by an act of
omission to those same people?
“Secondly, the problems in all areas, as you all know,
are historical. There is no administration that has not had
to contend with killings in these same areas over the years.
“Indeed, in 2001, you may recall that after thousands were
killed in Plateau state, a state of emergency was declared
and a governor was replaced by an administrator.
“To suggest that our administration is doing nothing is
terribly unfair. We must not forget that the same Plateau
state which has been crisis-ridden for years has in the past
three years been celebrated for its peacefulness.
The
governor’s hard work for peace the presence of the
military’s Operation Safe Haven must have had some
impact.”
Buhari told his guests that his administration
had deployed extra special forces from the
military in the troubled zone.
He also told the Christian leaders that the
military and police had many suspects across the
various flash-points in the region and several
prosecutions were ongoing.
“The recent killings in Benue, Zamfara and lately Plateau
are wicked, condemnable and completely unacceptable acts.
We, Nigerians, are religious people and no religion or
culture accepts the killing of people for any reason
whatsoever,” he said.
“This is why we must all rise as one to condemn these vile
and wicked acts to ensure that all the culprits are brought
to justice.
“We owe it to the memory of those who lost their lives in
the violence in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Zamfara
and elsewhere since 1999 to bring the conflicts to a decisive
end. I assure you that we will do this.
“Let me make it clear that even a single life lost in any part
of the country is one too many. I came to office vowing to
ensure the protection of lives and property, and I remain
committed to this despite the challenges we have
experienced.
“I, therefore, seek your support as clerics and religious
leaders to join hands with this administration and give us
your full support. As you all know, deploying law
enforcement agencies is fully our responsibility as a
government while creating the platform and mechanisms
for dialogue is a collective effort.
“The military and police have arrested hundreds of suspects
across the various flash-points in the region and several
prosecutions are going on. In a number of cases, we have
seen convictions.
“Nigerians are right when they say they want to see more
convictions and I would like to appeal to the judiciary to
help us fast-track these cases.”
He said the stakeholders included the media in
whose hands he said lies the power to “frame,
shape the perspectives and narratives which influence the
thinking of millions of people within and outside Nigeria.”
“Finally, let us collectively shame those who are stoking the
fires of ethnic and religious conflicts for their short-term
political gains,” he said.
“This country belongs equally to Christians and Muslims
and even those who claim ignorance of God.”
