Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has described as worrisome, the silence of President Muhammadu Buhari on the alleged killing of harmless Nigerians by Fulani Herdsmen, saying; “wanton murder of over 300 Agatu people of Benue State and the silence of the Federal Government on this genocide is a clear invitation to chaos.”
The governor, who described activities of the Fulani Herdsmen as inimical to the revival of agriculture in the country said; “Farmlands costing billions of naira have been destroyed in States in the South-West, South-East and North-Central zones of the country. One wonders how Nigerians can go back to farming when those already in the farms are losing billions of naira worth of crops to destruction of their farmlands by the Fulani Herdsmen and the Federal Government is not doing anything about it.”
In a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose, who expressed his sympathy to the victims and their families, added that the Federal Government must stop playing ostrich to the menace of the Fulani Herdsmen.
“If in the last one week, over 300 Nigerians were allegedly killed, several villages razed, with farmlands destroyed by Fulani Herdsmen and President Buhari is comfortable junketing from one country to the other, something is definitely wrong somewhere.
“This is because in saner climes, no country will have over 300 of its citizens reportedly killed with thousands others displaced and the leader of such country will not rush home from wherever he is to take charge of the situation by himself,” the governor said.
He said Buhari must be reminded how he led a delegation of Arewa leaders to Ibadan on October 13, 2000, to confront the then Governor of Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lam Adesina over alleged killing of Fulani Herdsmen in Saki, Oke Ogun Area of the state.
The governor asked; “If 16 years ago, President Buhari could be so concerned about the killing of Fulani Herdsmen in Oyo State such that he, as a private citizen led Arewa leaders to Ibadan to show their anger, why is the President silent now that Fulani Herdsmen are the ones allegedly killing people, raping women and destroying farmlands in Benue State in particular and other States in the country?
“Is the President unmindful of the possibility of Nigerians seeing his silence as conspiracy?
“Most importantly, what has Boko Haram caused Nigeria that the Fulani Herdsmen are not also causing now?”
While challenging the umbrella body of cattle breeders, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in particular and Northern leaders in general to wade into the persistent involvement of herdsmen in attack on communities, killing and raping of Nigerians, Governor Fayose said; “Nigeria is still battling Boko Haram and the country cannot afford another regime of anarchy, which this persistence killing of Nigerians by the Fulani Herdsmen can cause.”
