By Aiyeku Timothy
The presidency on Monday, dismissed insinuations that President Muhammadu Buhari is protecting criminal Fulani herders from arrest and prosecution.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who stated this on a live television programme, said many criminal Fulani herders were being prosecuted.
The activities of renegade Fulani herdsmen have stoked a national security crisis, leading to the quit order given them in Ondo and Oyo States, forcing the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, to order the immediate deployment of four units of riot policemen to address the violence in parts of Oyo State arising from clashes between Hausa and Yoruba traders.
Shehu, however, urged the police to publish the names of herders undergoing trials in various states while insisting that Buhari is not complicit in the herdsmen crisis rocking the nation.
He said: “The president is more than concerned about 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 remarks 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,” he added.
According to him, trials are going on, while convictions have been made.
Meanwhile, Buhari, on Sunday, had vowed that his administration would not allow any ethnic or religious group to stoke up hatred and violence against other groups.
