Buhari Not Behind Herdsmen Killings, Says APC Chairman

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Shitu Shitu thursday, said President Muhammadu Buhari was not behind killings by herdsmen as claimed by some people in the country, describing the allegation as calculated attempt by ‘self-seeking’ politicians to blackmail the president ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Shitu, who disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY, said such opinions were intended to instigate the citizenry against the president, adding that Nigeria is a secular state where no president could sponsor killings or enforce any religion on any person.

He said, “It is a misinformation for anyone to say that President Muhammadu Buhari is behind herdsmen and farmers killings in the country. Buhari is the only president who works tirelessly to ensure that there is peace in Nigeria”.
The APC chairman maintained the allegations were misinformation, reaffirming that his party was not perturbed because in an election year, people could fabricate stories to heat the polity.
According to him, “Some misguided elements who are miscreants – some of them pose as herdsmen and they go and do cattle rustling, shoot the owners of cattle and take their cattle away”.

He, however, reiterated that Buhari was not silent over the killings across the country by the suspected herdsmen but has condemned the killings.

The state APC boss further stated that President Buhari had noted that some of the attackers were fighters who had access to arms and ammunitions.

“They were trained in Libya as Gaddaffi stockpiled arms and ammunitions over the years and when he was killed, his arms were dispersed across West Africa, comprising Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Chad and some others that have prevalence of violence and random killings”, Shitu said.