Atiku, Catholic bishops, Afenifere, Ohanaeze fault Buhari’s vow to deal with killer-herdsmen

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari not responsible for Benue killings — Ortom

By Emeka Mamah, Charles Kumolu, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Peter Duru & Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA—President Muhammadu Buhari Democracy Day speech has sparked outrage in the polity as Catholic Bishop Council of Nigeria, CBCN; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, yesterday faulted his vow to deal with herdsmen.broadcast, yesterday, to commemorate Democracy Day and his administration’s third anniversary, said those behind the killings in the country and their sponsors would not be spared in Federal Government’s determination to punish criminals.

President Muhammadu Buhari addresses the guests during the Democracy Day Lecture held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja

However, while the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, described the President’s statement as vague and evasive, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, said it was only the Federal Government that could put an end to the killings in the country, even as the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, Afenifere, described the President’s declaration as height of political deception.

This is just as apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said the President trivialised the issue by linking the killings across the country to just herdsmen/farmers’ clashes“I want to commend members of the Multinational Joint Task Force drawn from Niger, Benin, Chad, Cameroon and our own country in collaboration with the International Community who are assisting in the fight against insurgency in the North East. I also commend the gallantry of members of our Armed Forces and other security agencies that have continued to provide security for lives and properties across the country.    State and Local traditional authorities are helping with much needed intelligence in this fight against insurgency.

“This administration is pained over the grievous loss of lives and properties occasioned by the carnage of insurgency and other forms of criminality in the country. I wish to assure Nigerians that we will not rest until all criminal elements and their sponsors are brought to justice.”

Buhari’s remarks on killer herdsmen vague, evasive-   Catholic Bishops

In its reaction, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, said the church was dissatisfied with President Muhammadu Buhari’s remarks on the killer herdsmen during his Democracy Day address to the nation.