Fulani herdsmen killings: Tambuwal opens fire on Buhari

The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has condemned the wanton killings, invasion of rural communities, destruction of farmlands, property, and forceful occupation of territories by Fulani herdsmen with seeming ineffective actions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

National Daily gathered that the governor was of the view that the genocide is sustained unabated because of “a failure of leadership” of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governor Tambuwal was apprehended that the killings by the herdsmen did not spare the security operatives performing their constitutional duties of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria. The Sokoto Governor expressed the perturbation that if the security operatives – the Police and Army – have become vulnerable to the killings across the country, then, the security system has collapsed and citizens’ safety can no longer be guaranteed.

Tambuwal decried the “new dimension to the reprehensible state of insecurity in the country”.  The lamented the killing of three policemen and kidnap of a Syrian expert in Sokoto State in May 2018, including the recent killing of seven policemen in Abuja by gunmen.

The Governor declared; “Who will protect us when even those constitutionally charged with the responsibility of protecting our lives and property have, themselves, become vulnerable targets of criminals.

 “This is not the way to go. That is not what Nigerians voted for in 2015. That is not what will build a virile, united, united, politically stable and economically prosperous African Giant.”

He further bemoaned that “Every policeman or military personnel is someone’s father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt or friend. The number and frequency of deaths is undermining our humanity, making us less sensitive to the gravity of the situation we are in today and also creating a new generation of Nigerians, who may get accustomed to inhuman acts as the norm.”  He remarked Nigeria has turned a killing field where “new batches of mourners” are created almost on a daily basis.

Tambuwal advocated the overhaul the country’s security architecture.

The governor argued that the strategies currently adopted and deployed for national security, “if any, need a comprehensive overhaul; it is not working.”

Tambuwal, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, supported decentralization of the police, making a case for State Police, to allow greater control of security personnel by the state governments.

“Whether we like it or not, there is seeming justification for state police and there is seeming justification for state governments to have some measure of control on security personnel,” he had declared.