Following continued reports of attacks on communities across the country by armed herdsmen, President Muhammadu Buhari late Monday in Abuja ordered security agencies to deal decisively with rampaging herdsmen.
He restated his administration’s resolve to deal expeditiously with the matter.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), President Buhari confirmed that heads of national security agencies have been ordered to take all necessary action to apprehend and expose those behind the heinous attacks.
“We are determined to secure all Nigerians and I have told the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies, in very strong terms, to deal decisively with the attackers,” a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina quoted the President as saying during the meeting.
President Buhari expressed his personal condolences to the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, the people of Ukpabi Nimbo and all other communities that have suffered fatalities and other losses from the recent attacks.
Speaking on other national issues, the President assured the Bishops that he was acting with deliberation and moving methodically to implement his change agenda for the good of all Nigerians.
“We need to rebuild our institutions methodically, we need to change the way we do things.
“In the last 10 years, crude oil sold for more that $100 per barrel, but Nigeria did not save. That is why we have found ourselves where we are today,” President Buhari told the Catholic Bishops, led by Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos.
The President assured them that his administration was working very hard to fulfill all the promises it had made to Nigerians, adding that his greatest motivating factor now is the desire to bring positive change to Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the bishops, Kaigama expressed the solidarity of the CBCN with the President.
“We are willing to collaborate with you and with your administration, in which we see hope for a greater Nigeria,” he told the President.
The bishops pledged continued prayers for Nigeria and the government, expressing their conviction that current hardships are temporary, and Nigeria will soon overcome its present difficulties.
Kaigama who spoke to newsmen after the meeting urged Nigerians to give the President a chance, as he has good intentions for the country.
“We found him a sincere man with great sense of dedication. He wants the best of this nation. We also want the best for this nation.
“He agrees that not everyone is working as he expects. There are some who are clogs in the wheel of progress. We are praying and hoping that such people will see that Nigeria is greater than all of us, that we should develop patriotic disposition and our aspiration should be to put this country first.
“We equally call on Nigerians to give the President a chance. He is sincere, he is dedicated, he is committed and together, we shall make wonderful progress” he said.
The Catholic church, he said would is seeking stronger collaboration in the area of education. “ Our schools need to be supported. We work as faith-based organisations, we run schools and hospitals to help the people.
Sometimes, the government treats us as if we are dealing with Nigerians who are from other countries.
“Sometimes, we are slammed with levies in schools and hospitals instead for government giving us help and supporting us to do more to the people, they demand so much from our institutions and even impose levies on students and other people who make use of our facilities.
“We are asking the President to kindly help. We also asked that in schools, there should be provisions for moral education and spiritual services. There should be places for worships” he said.
