Buhari: I Will Never Overlook Killings In Benue Or Any Part Of Nigeria Again

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday assured residents of Benue of improved security and an end to all forms of attacks in the state.

The president, who made the promise at a stakeholder meeting held at Makurdi during his condolence visit to the state also said he was shocked that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotum disregard his order to relocate to the state after killing of over 70 villagers by suspected herdsmen.

While appealing to all stakeholders to stop the ongoing bloodletting across the country, the President said the country has more than 250 ethnic groups and culture and everybody must decide to live peacefully.

“There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, with different cultures and beliefs. God has put us together for a reason, and we can live peacefully together.

He appealed to the people of Benue to work with security agencies and allow them to restore law and order in order to end clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

He assured Governor Samuel Ortom that the federal government is working to totally eradicate violence and insurgency in Benue state and across the country.

“We are doing everything possible to end the recurring attacks by armed herdsmen in various parts of Nigeria. On our part as Government, I assure that we will diligently fulfill our duty of security and law enforcement. I also appealed to them to please give the security agencies a chance to deal with the situation decisively.”

“I cannot overlook the killings in Benue or any other part of Nigeria. I cannot do that. I am genuinely worried about the attacks in Benue and we are doing everything to end them.”

“We have deployed security agencies to make sure the clashes between farmers and end as soon as possible,” Buhari said.

The President sympathized with all who have lost either lives or property in the farmers/herdsmen clash and insisted that he would not allow anyone who takes the life of a Nigerian to evade justice.

On his part, Governor Ortom commended the president for visiting the state and requested that the ongoing ‘Exercise Cat Race’ by the military should be upgraded to a wider operation, for it to assist in ending the incessant attacks and senseless killings by herdsmen in the state.

President Buhari had last week visited Taraba state and is expected to continue his condolence visits to parts of Nigeria where there have been crises and killings by going to Yobe, Zamfara, and Rivers states