“Assumptions that I, being Fulani, must be encouraging killings, are evil” – Buhari
President Buhari has, again, reacted to claims that his silence on killings across the country suggests he condoned the acts.
Buhari said on Thursday that it was “evil” to assume he would encourage what he referred to as “satanic acts”.
He insisted that such assumptions were politically motivated.
“When some, for clearly political purposes, attempt to suggest that this government is doing nothing about the killings, and that I, being Fulani, must be encouraging these satanic acts, it seems to me that there is no limit to the evil in the minds of men,” he said, during a visit of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) from the 19 northern states to the Presidential Villa yesterday.
“Otherwise, how can anyone in their right minds suggest that I, as an elected President even with substantial votes in the affected areas, will for any reason do harm by an act of omission to those same people?”
The president also stated that there is no administration that has not had to contend with killings over the years.
He said: “Secondly, the problems in all these areas, as you all know, are historical. There is no administration that has not had to contend with killings in these same areas over the years.
“Indeed, in 2001, you may recall that after thousands were killed in Plateau State, a State of Emergency was declared and a governor was replaced by an administrator.”
He acknowledged that the recent killings in Benue, Zamfara and lately Plateau were wicked, condemnable and completely unacceptable acts.
“We, Nigerians, are religious people and no religion or culture accepts the killing of people for any reason whatsoever. This is why we must all rise as one to condemn these vile and wicked acts to ensure that all the culprits are brought to justice,” Buhari said.
