Government
Herdsmen Terrorism, Buhari’s Complicity And Nigerians Survival
Since May 29, 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office, Nigeria has been facing multiples ills from comatose economy, unending scarcity of fuel and its attendant effect, non availability of electricity, inflation, naira depreciation, political instability, Fulani herdsmen terrorism etc. Though the life of an average Nigerian irrespective of ethnic or political standing save the thieving class due to the collapse of the economy, what is troubling Nigerians, especially those of non hausa-fulani muslims is the ravaging motivated terrorists and arsonists, masquerading as fulani herdsmen and inflicting pains and havoc on innocent Nigerians and on their own ancestral land.
It is no secret that apart from being a military man and a politician, Muhammadu Buhari is also an herdsman. In fact, long before became President, he once led hundreds of herdsmen from Katsina state to Oyo state to protest against perceived ill-treatment of his “colleagues” by the government and people of Oyo state. While I’m not disturbed about the President background as an herdsman, I find it in appropriate and an act of treason that the President would continue to look the other way while his kinsmen and colleagues inflict pains and deaths on innocent Nigerians.
The President by his inaction is subtly giving the marauding terrorists moral support and endorsing their carnage.
Is it not an irony that this is the same President that declared tough action against less dangerous Niger Delta militants, Shia movement and non violent IPOB group, one begins to wonder the real agenda of Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari. The silence and inaction of Buhari is in contravention to the oath of office that he swore on May 29, 2015. The President had sworn that “I shall not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct on my official decisions; that I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will do right to all manner of people according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”
In all sincerity, the action of the President did not come as a surprise to some of us. The Interior Minister Abdulraman Dambazau was once manipulated by the people of Berom of Jos that he aided the rampaging Fulani herdsmen to attack and kill the people of Berom in 2008 while he was the Chief of Army Staff of the federation, this is a man that President Buhari entrusted the internal security of Nigeria on. Is it a coincident that fulani herdsmen is descending on the innocent igbos of Enugu state less than one month after the DSS alleged that IPOBs Killed Fulani in Abia state and kept them in mass grave?
What can we do to stop the maurading herdsmen? It is even unfortunate that the system is skewed to favor the terrorists. In fact, the President upon assumption of office deliberately made sure that the security apparatus of the state are exclusively controlled by either his tribesmen or those from him Muslim north region. He appointed Maj Gen Babagana Moguno as National Security Adviser, He appointed tribesman Daura as DG DSS, another tribesman Raman Dambazzau as interior minister(a position that oversee internal security including the police), he went even further to appoint another tribesman Mallam Dan Ali as his Minister of Defence. To ensure the loyalty of the Army, the President had another tribesman Tukur Buratai as his Chief of Army staff. This arrangement means that EVERY SECURITY apparatus of the Nigeria State is fully in the grasp of Buhari’s kinsmen. Is it a coincident that NON of these people his ever condemned the Fulani terrorists herdsmen nor went tough on them. On the contrary, Mr Daura led DSS openly declared a phantom grave in Aba the covered the body of non existing fulanimen, while the Buratai Army would rather arrest innocent Abia men whose land WaS attacked by herdsmen instead of arresting the herdsmen. Nigeria is in a deep poo in this cocount.
It took the Ombatse group to take the fights on behalf of the eggon nation of Nasarawa state to the doorstep of the Fulani herdsmen before the herdsmen flee their land and their people. Though I’m not advocating violence against any group, I believe that the only language the terrorists herdsmen understand is violence. It is however, incumbent on the State to rise up to the occasion and arrest the situation otherwise the victims would be left with no option than to pick up arms against these people and take the fight to their doorstep just like the eggons did. This however, will be tantamous to civil war but Nigerians are already at war with these so called herdsmen. I make bold to state that we shall hold Buhari responsible should things degenerate into such situation.
Enough is Enough.
Nigerians cannot be at the mercies of any terrorist group. The Agatu and Enugu massacre are deaths too many. The President has the responsibility of rising to the occasion, otherwise the country would burn.
I use this medium to call on Nigerians, especially victims of herdsmen terrorism to resist every move by the State to reward herdsmen with our ancestral lands through the obnoxious Grazing bill. In fact, any representative or senator that support such bill should be declared a persona non grata by coconstituents.
I shall end this piece by expressing my sincere apology to the Nigeria people for the support I gave to then APC Presidential Candidate prior to my February 16, 2015 change of camp to the People’s Democratic Party, even though I never really admired the style of then incumbent Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan. Indeed, the President is a grave mistake on Nigerians.
May God Almighty Bless Us All And Bless Nigeria