Buhari breaks silence as another Igbo community repels attack

At last, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday broke his silence on the rampaging attack across the country by Fulani herdsmen, even as he promised that the perpetrators would be dealt with.

The president reacted to the series of attack, through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu and Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke at a book launch. In the statement by Shehu, Buhari condemned the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State and other such acts of extreme violence against communities in other states of the federation. the statement said the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, and heads of other security agencies, acting on the President’s directive, are already taking urgent steps to fully investigate the attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

The statement further said that ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons is now a priority on the Buhari administration’s agenda for enhanced national security. It said the armed forces and police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.

“In keeping with the President’s directive, the Inspector-General of Police, the General Officer Commanding, the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army and the Director of the Department of State Security in Enugu State have visited Ukpabi Nimbo to personally oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits. “President Buhari is scheduled to meet with Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to receive further briefing on the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and discuss additional measures to forestall similar attacks and restore public confidence.

“The President urged all Nigerians to remain calm and assured of his administration’s readiness to deploy all required personnel and resources to remove this new threat to the collective security of the nation,” the statement said. Also speaking on the issue, Alhaji Mohammed said the President has directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Abayomi Olanisakin and the IGP to ensure that the herdsmen allegedly behind the Ukpabi Nimbo killing are promptly apprehended and prosecuted. Mohammed delivered the president’s directive at the launch of a book written by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Mohammed, who read the President’s speech at the book launch, condemned the attack in its strongest terms and vowed that his government would never allow such to continue.

“I deeply sympathise with those who lost their lives as well as those who lost their property. “I have directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen and to go after the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country.

This government will not allow these attacks to continue,” Buhari assured. He appealed to Nigerians and in particular those affected by the series of attacks to remain calm as government would soon fish out those behind it, just as he promised them that dividends of democracy through the implementation of the 2016 budget would soon be felt by all and sundry. Arase, on a visit to the scene of the attack yesterday ordered the arrest and detention of a policeman, who allegedly collaborated with the Fulani herdsmen. However, while Arase was at Ukpabi Nimbo, reports filtered in that the herdsmen have launched a fresh attack in Umuchigbo Nike, a community in Enugu-East Council Area. Sources hinted that the planned attack was repelled by the youths in the community, who mobilised immediately and chased the marauders away.

It was further gathered that last week, a Fulani herdsman stabbed an Umuchigbo citizen and they retaliated.

“Today, the Fulani mobilised to attack a school. Umuchigbo mobilised and managed to chase them away; all is now calm. However, there are genuine concerns that they will return anytime soon,” the source added. At Ukpabi Nimbo, the villagers had informed Arase that the police officer, simply identified as Corporal Chukwu, was a known collaborator with the herdsmen. The IGP, who visited the tension soaked community alongside the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial zone, Chukwuka Utazi, ordered that the accused policeman should be detained and investigated. While addressing journalists, Arase said no policeman who collaborates with criminal elements to perpetrate crime would go unpunished, stressing that such person must be dismissed from the force.

He said: “I am not happy about it, even the death of one person; I am concerned about it; that is why I decided to have on-the-spot assessment of the situation. “I have been discussing with the senator from this area, even the council chairman before this incident, to see how we can find some lasting panacea. “We have been able to see what happened; we will be able to find a lasting solution to this problem. “I want to assure every Nigerian that nobody takes the life of any other Nigerian and goes scot-free; we will catch and prosecute them. “If our men have not been proactive, may be the damage may have been more devastating.” Arase said the police would increase its presence in the community and in the local government area.

“On behalf of the police command in the country, I commiserate with families of those who lost their beloved ones and sympathies with the injured. “The police will continue to protect lives and property of the people; the death of one person diminishes humanity,’’ he said. On the alleged collaboration between the policeman and the herdsmen, he said: “I have zero tolerance for any policeman that connives with any criminal gang; I have already ordered that he be put in custody and if after investigation, it is discovered that he connived with the people that carried out this attack, I must make sure that he gets out of the Nigeria Police Force.” 

Meanwhile, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday expressed outrage over the killing. Addressing journalists, secretary of the religious body in Enugu State, Apostle Dr. Joseph Ajujungwa, said the wanton destruction of lives and properties by the herdsmen could no longer be taken for granted. While expressing shock that security operatives could not nip the attack in the bud despite having prior information, Ajujungwa called on South-East communities to rise up and defend themselves. “We are shocked and saddened over the level or carnage perpetrated by these Fulani herdsmen in Nimbo community. “More painful is the fact that security agencies had ample time and opportunity but they looked the other way. 

In view of this, I am calling on the people of Enugu State and other South-East states to rise up and defend themselves because security operatives have failed,” he said. Ajujungwa maintained that it would be wrong “for our people to fold their hands and watch helplessly while our women are being raped, our men are being killed and our ancestral land is being taken away.” While calling for investigation of all the security agencies in the state, he announced a one-day of mourning to commiserate with all those who lost their lives in the attack. “In honour of those whose lives were snuffed away by these herdsmen, CAN declares one-day of mourning. Within this period, we ask our people to pray fervently and ask God to take control,” he added.