President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin and Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase to immediately secure communities under herdsmen’s attacks.
The President also ordered the security chiefs to go after groups terrorizing innocent Nigerians in communities and villages.
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed unfolded the President’s directive yesterday in Abuja at the presentation of the book, “Who will Love my Country”, written by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Some public commentators have accused the President of “not talking” about the herdsmen’s rampage especially the Sunday night killings in Uzo Uwani Local Government, Enugu State.
Mohammed, who represented the President at the event, quoted him as warning that his administration will no longer allow the attacks to continue.
Buhari said: “Let me start by condemning in strongest terms the attacks by herdsmen in Enugu State on Monday. 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.”
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President Mallam Garba Shehu, said acting on the President’s directive, the IG and heads of other security agencies are already taking urgent steps to fully investigate the attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons, the statement said, is now a priority on the Buhari Administration’s agenda for enhanced national security.
“And the Armed Forces and Police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.” It added
”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 was billed to meet with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to receive further briefing on the attack and discuss additional measures to forestall similar attacks and restore public confidence.
It said the President urged all Nigerians to remain calm and assured of his administration’s readiness to deploy all required personnel and resources to remove the new threat to the collective security of the nation
The police chief yesterday ordered the arrest of a policeman fingered by community leaders for alleged complicity in the attacks.
Arase, who visited the village, vowed to unmask the herdsmen who allegedly killed no fewer than 48 people at Ukpabi Nimbo community.
The IG assured the community that the police would do everything to arrest the attackers.
He was accompanied by top police officers and commissioners of police in the Southeast zone.
The police boss described what he saw as quite “depressing”.
He said: “I want to assure Nigerians that those involved in the barbaric act cannot go unpunished, they must be brought to book.”
The police chief, also advised the people especially youths of the area to remain calm, and allow the police hunt for the suspects.
The IGP added that he came personally to the community to see things for himself, and get first hand information on the incident.
“I decided to come here personally to get first hand information on the incident because of the conflicting media reports we have been getting on the attack”
Reacting to an allegation by the people that a certain Corporal Sunday, who is serving in Adani police Division, compromised in the attack, Arase immediately ordered that he be taken into custody.
He said the allegation will be properly investigated by the police and, if found wanting, he (Sunday) will face the music.
The spokesman for the community, Dr. George Ajogwu, told Arase that the incident could have been nipped in the bud if the police and other security agents had acted promptly on the pre- information given to them by the people a day before the attack.
Senator Chuka Utazi (Enugu North) who hails from the area, told the IG that they were yet to get the accurate figure of those who died.
The lawmaker said “up till yesterday, decomposing bodies were still being recovered from nearby bushes”.
Arase and his entourage also visited the traditional ruler of the area, Igwe John Ako,and some of the injured at the Bishop Shanahan Hospital in Nsukka.
