President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday accused ‘powerful individuals’ of orchestrating the lingering conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria.
The president made this comment during a visit to Zamfara State in continuation of his tour of states affected by violence and bloodshed.
In his speech, he stressed the need to review the old arrangement that provided for both cattle ranches and grazing routes.
This is as he directed security agencies to improve their strategies of intelligence gathering, surveillance and accuracy in deployments, to ensure that criminal activities are brought to an end across the country.
“As far as I am concerned, our security agencies have recorded some successes, but they need to do much more. They are not to oppress anyone, but they have to gather and send intelligence and warnings when something is about to happen,’’ he said.
The president commended the security agencies for eliminating a dreadful criminal, ‘Buhari General’, who had for many years initiated killings and destruction of properties. “Before ‘Buharin-daji’ who calls himself a general, there was a criminal who killed many people and he was killed; ‘Buharin–daji’ has followed him and others like them should also follow,’’ he added.
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President Buhari urged the security agencies and communities to always work in collaboration, noting that the threats to life and property of Nigerians would be significantly reduced with improved relations among community leaders, citizens and the security agencies. “I have come here to commiserate with you over the loss of lives and properties. We will continue to do our best to improve the security situation. However, those committing atrocities live with you. Some of these people are not reported because you don’t trust the security outfits, instead you report back to the criminals. We should give priority to security,’’ he said.
The president warned that the ongoing war against corruption would be reinvigorated and sustained until public officers, who abuse their positions, face the wrath of the law. He told the elders and traditional rulers that properties confiscated by security outfits from some suspected corrupt public officials would be sold after the completion of court procedures. He urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing reforms in the agricultural sector, pointing that the era of depending on oil will one day come to an end.
On herdsmen attacks, the president said there was a need to revisit and review the old grazing area arrangement that guaranteed harmonious relationship between farmers and herdsmen, where differences were amicably resolved through the law.
Read More at: https://leadership.ng/2018/03/23/pmb-blames-powerful-individuals-for-herders-farmers-clashes/
