CONSISTENT TERROR ATTACKS by suspected Fulani herdsmen militia on Nigerian citizens – slaughtering helpless innocent people – women, children and babies, undeterred, are getting far too inhuman and reprehensible. Nigerian President Buhari’s government is far from being proactive in combating these gruesome attacks. The government seemed to be out of control of the situation.
Buhari’s government and the security advisers have proffered different assumptions on the killings. The president, recently, told his foreign audience that “Libyan fighters” were responsible for the killings in Nigeria. If foreign fighters invades a country’s sovereign territory and subject its citizens to genocidal killings, how would the intruders be described – terrorists!
Yet, government and security chiefs are averse to declare the claimed “Libyan fighters” or killer herdsmen – who are killing and maiming Nigerian citizens – terrorists. This has led to distrust that the government and security agencies could be behind the attacks or shielding what has been described as “ethnic cleansing” or “jihadists” agenda.
At Wednesday’s plenary, Nigeria’s House of Representatives, summoned President Buhari over the endless killings and state of insecurity across the country. The lawmakers passed “vote of no confidence on Nigerian service chiefs and security advisers” to the president and called for their replacement, following a motion on urgent national importance by Terseer Gbillah from Benue State.
Further registering its displeasure on nation-wide insecurity, the House of Representatives suspended sitting for three legislative days to protest the recurring killings and the need to declare the killer herdsmen “terrorists”. Gbillah expressed concern that Benue State has remained under consistent attack by armed men despite deployment of security personnel to check the incessant killings.
The attacks on Benue State, took a new dimension, Tuesday, when two Catholic priests, the church catechist and 16 worshippers were killed at St. Ignatius Catholic Mission, in Gwer East Local Government Area of the State. “Several others who attended an early morning funeral near the church are still unaccounted for after reportedly being gunned down by the retreating armed herdsmen”, Gbillah said.
On the present deplorable state of insecurity in the country, President Buhari owes Nigerians “State of the Nation” Security Report. The House of Representatives’ summons on the president should be sacrosanct – unchangeable and should not be politicized.
The lawmakers should not make it expedient for the presidency to explain-off or give reason[s] while President Buhari would not be personally present to address grave issues of insecurity that have, presently, engulfed the country.
