Buhari writes Senate, lists efforts to end killings in Benue

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday dismissed insinuation that his government was ambivalent about killings in Benue State and other parts of Nigeria as he listed efforts made to stem the tide.

Buhari said it was not fair and incorrect for anyone to infer that he had not taken any concrete action on the killings in Benue, recalling how he mobilised the Police authorities to take charge of security situations in the state while putting a stop to killings allegedly by armed Fulani herdsmen.

The President made this known in a letter he sent to the Senate intimating the leadership of the efforts he had made to address the problem of mindless killings in Benue State by herdsmen.

The Senate had earlier sent a Report of its findings on Benue Killings tagged “Report on The Review of Security Infrastructure on Nigeria on The Emergency Visit to Benue state, to President Buhari on January 18.

While intervening on the situation in Benue State, the Senate had held a special sitting during which members condemned the government of President Buhari, accusing him of failure and inability to protect lives and properties across the federation.

But the President letter addressed to the Senate and dated January 30, 2018 read thus: “I thank you for your letter referenced NASS/8S/R/01/33 dated 18th January 2018 and carefully studied the resolutions and comments there in. “As I briefed you and the Rt Hon speaker when we met, several courses of action have been taken prior to the Senate resolution.

“You may recall that I told you of the following steps taken as soon as the information came in to me about the Benue killings.

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“One, on Thursday 4th January, I sent the minister of interior and the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Two, on Friday 5th January, the inspector-general of police briefed me verbally on the latest situation, calm had then been restored.

“Three, on Monday 8th, the minister of interior met with the following, governors of Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Benue Taraba and Nasarawa together with the DG of the State Security Services, inspector-general of police, CG Civil Defence, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and police commissioner of the six aforementioned states.

“After the meeting, I instructed the Minister of Interior to brief you on the information gathered so far and steps taken.

“On Tuesday, 9th of January, at a session with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State during which informed of police arrests of some suspects. In addition, I told him that I have instructed to speed up trial of the suspects and give wide publicity of the police efforts.

“At the instance of the governor, a meeting was held in the presidential villa on 15th with a wide cross-section of Benue personalities and frank and open discussions were held. Everybody appreciated the difficulties of this farmers-herders strife. I assured all of my commitment and assured justice would be done.

“To infer therefore that nothing has been done, is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings.

“Furthermore, I have instructed the IGP to relocate to Benue State and redeploy forces to the most sensitive towns. The federal government is initiating measures to address these and other security challenges, alleviate the consequence of these attacks and forestall reoccurrence. The Senate resolution itemised in your letter would be taken into consideration and I’m instructing all relevant MDAs to factor them in their work.

“On December 19 to be precise, while receiving the report of the committee that was set up to review the technical and administrative structure of the NIA, I underscored the need to review the entire national security architecture as I promised in my inaugural address on the 29th May 2015. Action is being initiated to receive maximum cooperation from the Senate in line with paragraph three of the Senate resolutions.”