Buhari finally condemns deadly attacks by Fulani herdsmen

Eniola Olayemi

After months of eerie silence, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally addressed the destruction of lives and properties by Fulani herdsmen, with an order that security chiefs hunt down those who perpetrated the attack on Ukpabu Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State on Monday.

The President gave the order in his address delivered by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the public presentation of a book entitled “Who Will Love My Country: Ideas for Building the Nigeria of our Dream”, written by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu in Abuja on Wednesday.

“Before making my remarks about the book, let me use this platform to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the attack perpetrated on the Ukpabu Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State on Monday. I deeply sympathise with all those who lost dear ones, as well as those who lost their properties, in the attack.

“I have directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen, and to go after all the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country. This government will not allow these attacks to continue,” he stated.

A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday also assured Nigerians of Buhari’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country.

It Buhari unreservedly condemns the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and other such acts of extreme violence against communities in other states.

Acting on the President’s directive, Shehu said the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, and heads of the nation’s other security agencies are already taking urgent steps to fully investigate the attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

“Ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons is now a priority on the Buhari Administration’s agenda for enhanced national security and the Armed Forces and Police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.

“In keeping with the President’s directive, the Inspector-General of Police, the General Officer Commanding the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army and the Director of the Department of State Security in Enugu State have visited Ukpabi Nimbo to personally oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits.

“Meanwhile, President Buhari is scheduled to meet with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi later today to receive further briefing on the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and discuss additional measures to forestall similar attacks and restore public confidence.

“The President urges all Nigerians to remain calm and assured of his administration’s readiness to deploy all required personnel and resources to remove this new threat to the collective security of the nation,” the statement said.