Buhari: We will fish out promoters of violence
POLITICS DIGEST– President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday read the riot act on the upheavals in some parts of the country. He said a few wealthy and influential individuals behind the ugly developments would soon be identified and dealt with in due course.
Buhari gave the assurance when he received political leaders and elders of Borno and Yobe states at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Earlier on Tuesday, Attorney-General of the Federal and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami had suggested the adoption of practical and community-oriented approach as ways of addressing the rising security challenges across the country.
During the meeting with the Borno and Yobe states delegation led by Governors Babagana Zulum and Mai-Mala Buni, Buhari restated that the nation’s stability remained his paramount interest.
He said despite the action of the few influential persons, whom he described as “nuisance,” his administration would continue to work and pray for the nation to survive its current travails.
His words: “We need this country. We will continue to work for its stability. I feel that whatever happens, we will continue to make it, and we will keep on praying to God so that for those who feel that they don’t need Nigeria, we will succeed over their intentions and actions.
“I am confident that we will eventually convince the small number of people with resources and influence that are a nuisance to this great country. God willing, we will identify them, and deal with them. I am extremely concerned about your constituency like the rest of the country.”
Buhari noted the delegation’s request for the upgrade and development of infrastructure in the states and assured that while he would do his best in that direction, he would prioritise education.
“We are aware of the infrastructure deficit. Our priorities will be education because all our citizens know that children within a certain age, must receive it otherwise if they miss it, their future is destroyed,” he said.
Zulum told State House correspondents after the meeting that they were in the Villa to thank the President and request for more troops and infrastructure for the Northeast.
Among those that attended the meeting were a former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima; former Minister of Power and Steel Bunu Sheriff; Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Shehuri and his Works and Housing counterpart, Abubakar Aliyu.
Also at the meeting were the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar; the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; the National Security Adviser, Maj.- Gen. Babagana Monguno and the Director-General, State Security Service, Yusuf Bichi .
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Malami had at `the “Leaders and Life News House’s Peace, Unity and Security Lecture Series 2021,’’ suggested the creation of a “Commission for Pastoralism” as a way to address herders-farmers crisis.
The minister, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu, also said the increase in cases of rape and other maladaptive behaviors might not be unconnected with drug abuse .
On herders-farmers crisis, the AGF said: “One of the issues that dominated the media space in recent time is that of farmers-herders conflict. Farmers-herders crisis is real. It, therefore, requires real-time and practically-oriented solutions.
“The better approach towards resolving the crisis over the short, medium and long terms is to directly involve the stakeholders in coming up with solutions at the conception, implementation and monitoring faces.
“In this case, community-oriented approach is likely to yield greater dividend in diffusing and eventually eliminating the menace that has retarded economic development and created wide-spread insecurity.
“It is not out of place for me to say that simply addressing farmers-herders crisis from purely theoretical perspectives often devoid of reality and without synchronisation with the needs and aspirations of the involved stakeholders is not only counter-productive, but inimical to the emergence and sustenance of a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
“It is against this backdrop that I proffer the following recommendations for the consideration of the symposium: The setting up of regulated grazing reserves to replace the ‘Burtali or “Hurumi’ pastoral system.”’
A former Military Governor of Ogun State, Comodore Kayode Olofin-moyin (retd), who also spoke during the lecture, accused the Buhari administration of “Northernising” the nation’s security team.
He said out of the 11 National Security Council members, nine are northerners, with only two from the South.
He said: “With the political inequality in the country today, Nigeria cannot have peace, I can’t trust the government, the security team operating the security infrastructure today has all been ‘Northernised’.
“ I am telling you as a former military governor of about 70 years of age, when you go for the National Security Council those two Southerners are just there as onlookers.
“How do they expect us to believe in the outcome of such meetings and they said it is national and that is why the killings by the herdsmen, kidnapping is still on the rise, because people doing such things feel they are favored.
“There is a need for the federal government to correct inequality in governance, because when it is corrected every other thing takes position, there will be peace, economic development.”
Convener of the Lecture series, Chioma Egboh, maintained that to find a lasting solution to sustainable peace, Nigerians must form a union rooted in justice and equality.
