More deaths in Taraba crisis than Benue, Zamfara –Buhari

• President’s visit to Taraba, an afterthought –Fayose

Kamarudeen Ogundele, John Charles and Justin Tyopuusu

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said the crisis on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State had claimed more lives than that of the herdsmen killings in Benue and Zamfara states.

The President stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting with representatives of ethnic groups and the Taraba State Government at the Taraba Government House in Jalingo.

Buhari arrived at the Danbaba Suntai Airport about 3.38pm accompanied by the Ministers of Women Affairs, Defence, Information and Culture, some members of the National Assembly from the state and Service Chiefs. He was received by the state Governor, Darius Ishaku.

He said he was in the state to condole with the people and government of Taraba State over the killings in the state, and called on the people to tolerate one another.

In the meeting, which lasted for almost two hours, Buhari called on the traditional rulers to find ways of resolving the crisis in the state.

“Governor Darius Ishaku and I are here temporarily. We will go at the end of our tenure, but you are permanent with the people at the grass roots.

“So, I charge you to go back and find ways of resolving the crises in your domains. Go and give your people justice for peace to reign.

“When I was campaigning, I came here and promised to provide security, boost the economy and fight corruption.

“Today, even our worst enemy can attest to the fact that the APC-led Federal Government has done well in the area of security. We have decimated Boko Haram, while the fight against corruption is going on well.

“I can only appeal to the conscience of the people for them to embrace peace and live with one another in harmony so that there could be development and not destruction.

“As a President, I have sources of getting intelligence on happening across the country and so I should not be expected to always go out to the field to make noise and insult the sensibility of Nigerians before it would be known that I am taking actions against the killings.

“There were more killings in Mambilla than Benue and Zamfara states. I chose to visit Taraba first, but I will be going to Benue and Zamfara after I return from Ghana to also condole with the people,” he said.

While urging Nigerians to live in peace with one another, the President called for the arrest and prosecution of any herdsman caught with arms.

In his remarks, Ishaku thanked the President for the visit and for approving the construction of the 3,050 Mega Watt Mambilla Hydroelectric power project in the state.

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The governor said the open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law in the state was part of the solutions to ending herdsmen and farmers clashes, as well as cattle rustling.

“Mr. President, I want to thank you for coming to sympathise with us, but I want to appeal to you to deploy more security operatives, especially the police, in Taraba State to provide security for my people.

“When the crisis started in Nguroje on Thursday, there were only six policemen in the area and they could not do much. So, I appeal to you to deploy more security men here to solve some of our challenges,” he said.

Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah, who spoke on behalf of the Mambilla people; Alhaji Mafindi Danburam, who spoke on behalf of Miyetti Allah; and Dr. Afraid Kobiba, who spoke on behalf of the people of Lau, called for justice as a solution to ending insecurity in the country.

The chairman, Taraba State Council of Chiefs and the Aku Uka of Wukari, Dr Shekarau Angyu Massa Ibbi, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, advocated constitutional roles to enable them to help in dealing with the security situation in their domains.

Groups fault President’s claim on Mambilla crisis

Social cultural groups in Taraba State have faulted the claim of the President that more people were killed in the Mambilla plateau crisis than those of Benue and Zamfara states.

A representative of the Yangdang Cultural Association, Dr Afraid Kobiba, who spoke to our correspondent after the meeting, expressed shock over the President’s claims.

Kobiba said he had made presentation before the President where he highlighted that 68 people were killed in Lau, while 15 were still missing in the crisis that happened in January 2018 in addition to other killings that had taken place in the state in the past.

“We have written to the governor about the killing of our people by Fulani herdsmen and we copied the National Security Adviser, Director General DSS, Ministers of Interior, Defence and Justice and other relevant agencies, yet the President was mute about the killings in Lau where 63 people were given mass burial in one day.

“I don’t know where he got his facts from, but I think he was misinformed about the crisis in Taraba State,” he said.

President General of Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Chief Goodman Dahida, in his reaction, said the President’s claim was unfortunate.

Dahida said over 100 people were killed in Wukari, Gassol, Ibi and Lau in Taraba State, while dozens were killed in Adamawa; and hundreds others in Benue State, which did not attract the attention of the President.

“The President just told Nigerians where he belongs and the people he belongs to. He is specific about Mambilla killings because his kinsmen were involved.

“Killings have been going on in Taraba State and other places by Fulani herdsmen, but he has not visited any of these places.

“In June last year, he sent his cronies to visit Mambilla because the Fulani were reportedly affected in the crisis. I think the President should grow pass ethnic favouritism and treat all Nigerians as one. Every life of Nigerian counts,” he said.

‘Buhari’s visit to Taraba, an afterthought’

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described President Buhari’s visit to Taraba and planned visit to Benue, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers states, which have recorded different forms of killings this year, as an afterthought.

According to him, the President is more concerned about his re-election in 2019 and his visit to those states is to seek votes and not to sympathise with the people.

Fayose likened Buhari to a selfish king who went on making merry while his people were in agony only to show up when the people had already buried their loved ones that were gruesomely murdered, got over their anguish and moved on with their lives.

Fayose, in a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said it was the height of cruelty that the same President, who promised to lead from the front in the fight against Boko Haram, could not visit Dapchi, Yobe State, where 110 schoolgirls were abducted by insurgents, but went on merry making in Kano.

“On January 9 and 12, this year, 83 victims of herdsmen attacks were given mass burial in Taraba State. Also on January 11, 2018, another 73 persons were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State were buried in a mass grave in Makurdi, the state capital.

“In Taraba and Benue states alone, 161 Nigerians were given mass burial within three days! This never caught the attention of our President. Rather, it was a visit to Nasarawa, a neighbouring state to Benue that was important to him.

“Apparently, it was the negative reactions of Nigerians, especially on Social Media and the effects on the President’s re-election bid that necessitated his hurried visit to Taraba State today; and planned visits to Benue, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers states,” the governor said.

While declaring the visits as belated and an afterthought, Fayose said Nigerians could no longer be deceived by a president who never cared for them when they needed him most.

“No amount of hurriedly organised campaign visits will sway the people who never saw the president to protect them from being killed,” he added.

Buhari owns Nigeria, he can visit us anytime –Ortom

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said President Buhari is the father of the nation and he can visit any state of the federation anytime.

Ortom who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said Benue is part of Nigeria where the President could visit.

When asked if the government was happy with the visit and its expectations, Terver, on behalf of his boss, said, “The president is the owner of the country and he can visit any part of the country any time he so wish.”

Dapchi girls: Presidential committee visits Yobe

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe has called on the Federal Government to intensify aerial surveillance to rescue the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls.

Gaidam made the call on Monday when the Presidential Committee to unravel circumstances surrounding the abduction of the students visited the state.

He commended the Buhari administration for its zeal in fighting insurgency in the North-East.

He said the visit by four different delegations sent by the Federal Government underscored its commitment towards rescuing the schoolgirls.

He said, “I am optimistic that with the kind of inspiring concern exhibited by the Federal Government, other patriotic Nigerians and the international community, we will find the girls.”

Gaidam solicited comprehensive strategy to mop up the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

The Chairman of the committee, Rear Admiral Victor Adedipe, said he and other members of the committe were in the state to hold dialogue with stakeholders to uncover circumstances surrounding the abduction.

Meanwhile, the Dapchi Youth Development Association has declared total support for the ongoing efforts by government to rescue the schoolgirls.

A communique signed by Alhaji Baba Shehu, Secretary of the association, called for cooperation with the committee.

“While rescue efforts are ongoing, we urge the Yobe State Government to decide the fate of the over 800 girls that escaped the abduction and returned home following closure of the school,” it added.

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