Gyang Bere, Jos
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to pray fervently to God to bring the country out of the current prevailing security challenges.
He noted that the Federal Government would ensure absolute justice over those that were killed in Plateau State and other parts of the country.
President Buhari said this, on Tuesday, when he visited Plateau State over the recent killing of over 150 persons by Fulani herdsmen in 11 communities of Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas of the state.
The President was accompanied on the visit by the governors of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu and Niger, Sani Bello. Others were the ministers of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Information, Lai Mohammed and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.
“There is nothing I can do to help the situation except to pray to God to help us out of the security challenges. What has happened is a very bad thing. The bottomline is that justice must be allowed to take its course.
“Fulani herdsmen are used to carrying sticks during grazing but the herders of these days carry AK 47. Aanybody caught with weapon should be arrested.”
President Buhari also urged the leadership of various communities in the state to help in curtailing the security problems, saying that the people must imbibe the spirit of tolerance to live together.
He insisted that his administration would continue with its campaign promises of tackling insecurity, corruption and economic recovery in the country to enthrone affordable living condition for the citizens.
President Buhari extended condolences on behalf of the Federal Government to those who lost their loved ones and prayed to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the losses.
The President reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to collaborates with the security agencies in tackling insecurity in the country.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, said the visit of the President was apt as it provided the opportunity of the people to open up the grief in their hearts concerning the gory killings in the state.
Governor Lalong said the current attack was disturbing and alarming as its left over 200 persons dead while several communities had been displaced.
“This current attack, your Excellency Mr. President, is very disturbing and alarming because it has left behind in its ugly trail the painful loss of over 200 people, besides the humanitarian challenges confronting thousands of displaced persons whose houses and crops have been burnt and completely destroyed.
“Mr. President, our government has made it clear and you have eloquently stated that you will continue to protect and preserve the sanctity of life. Agents of destabilisation are, however, hell bent on making nonsense of the success you have achieved in dealing with internal security threats to our corporate existence as a nation.
“Mr. President, given the number of villages that have been completely ravaged, I wish to re-echo the earlier request we made as a state for the Emergency Special Intervention Fund to help us reconstruct our ravaged communities”
The govermpr also said that burning of places of worship during the attack was worrisome and called on every Nigerian to condemn such act as it was capable of driving the country into religious war.