President Buhari, End These Killings Now!

By Folaranmi Adegbite

“My father, my mother, my wife, our four children were shot, killed and burnt.”

This cry of horror by a survivor of the Fulani herdsmen massacre of innocent people in Plateau State calls to question the sincerity or competence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to provide security for Nigerians. President Buhari during his campaign for 2015 Presidential Election promises to improve on fragile security in the land then among other campaign promises. 

*President Buhari 

However, since his coming to power, we cannot say that the nation has had a relief from insecurity. All his efforts and that of his service chiefs are like taken one step forward and two backward which leads to nowhere in particular.

In fairness to Buhari, the killings in Nigeria predated his administration. Whether killings by Boko Haram, insurgents, Fulani herdsmen, or ethic militants all these have been happening before Buhari came to power.

For instance, in Plateau State alone, between 2010 and 2011, more than 600 people were killed in inter-ethnic violence or Fulani herdsmen versus farmers’ conflicts.

The most gruesome was the massacre of 500 Berom farmers in Degan Nahwa by herdsmen on Sunday March 10, 2010.

As a matter of fact, the killing by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents was more harmful, grievous and common in the days of President Jonathan presidency.

Bombing of the UN Office in Abuja and other places are evidences of Boko Haram having free days in Jonathan era. The fact that all have reduced drastically today is an evidence of Buhari’s effectiveness as a leader.

Nonetheless, the feat of taming Boko Haram by Buhari presidency has been jeopardised by the destructive tendencies of the Fulani Herdsmen.

As a matter of fact, there is insinuation that Buhari is helpless over the herdsmen menace because of his ethnic leaning. The blood they say is thicker than water.

There is no doubt that the insinuation is correct because we are witnesses to the scorch earth policy employed by the present administration in dealing with the IPOB separatist while the herdsmen menace is treated with kid gloves.

The unfortunate thing about the Federal Government failure to end Fulani Herdsmen massacre of innocent souls is that President Buhari, in spite of his accomplishment in various sectors of the nation is losing the support of the people and playing to the hands of his enemies.

Besides, his pedigree as an infantry in the Nigerian military where he rose to the position of Major General is being questioned. 

 We should recall that Buhari fought during the civil war, he must have participated in the Nigerian Peace keeping endeavours abroad, and the peak of Buhari’s military accomplishments was the routing of Chadian rebel that invaded Maiduguri in 1982 when he was the G.O.C. of the 3rd Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau State.

As a matter of fact, Buhari, on April 18, 1993 flew by helicopter to Maiduguri to personally supervise the routing of the Chadian rebels.

Buhari rode on the crest of his military pedigree to power because Nigerians believed then that he would be able to secure the nation more than Jonathan did.

However, with the spate of killings in the nation which the President seems to have no clue to end, are we to believe that the president was overrated? I don’t think so.

The fact is that the time is running out for President Buhari on the issue of insecurity in Nigeria.

The Sunday, June 24, 2018 strike by herdsmen in Razak, Ruku, Kuru and Gana-Rapp in Barkin-Ladi Local Government of Plateau State, where about 135 innocent souls including children were murdered has externalised the nefarious activities of the herders.

The comment made by the UN Secretary General is an indictment of Federal Government.

The Amnesty International disclosure that 1,813 Nigerians have been murdered in 17 states since January, 2018 is revealing and unfortunate thing to happen in Nigeria during peace time.

According to the report, the figure doubles that of last year which means that the nation’s security operatives have failed in their responsibility to protect Nigerians.

The buck stops on the table of President Buhari to rise to the occasion as the father of the nation and nip in the bid the senseless killings not only by herdsmen but by all blood thirsty groups in Nigeria.

Politics apart, shedding of human blooding in whatever form is detested by God Almighty and a nation where innocent blood are being shed will know no peace or development.

Buhari, pre 2015 rating has dropped drastically due to various reasons which are not unrelated to his handling of the nation’s affairs.

2019 or not, he has to redeem his image and justify the confidence people repose in him in 2015 by restoring peace in all nooks and crannies of this nation and stop the killing spree by herdsmen.

Thereafter, he can think of having a smooth sail in 2019.