Buhari’s Visits: A Huge Disappointment 

After insisting that there was no reason whatsoever for him to visit states that were ravaged by herdsmen and militias’ attacks and devastated by kidnapping by Boko Haram, President Muhammadu Buhari finally dropped his ‘I don’t care’ attitude and paid belated visits to the states.

Before he made up his mind to embark of the visit, the president must have weighed ‎the desirability or otherwise of the visits. He also chose to ignore critics like the opposition Peoples Democratic Party which described the visit as a mere cosmetic and an afterthought.

Belated though, it is better late than never‎. Most Nigerians appreciated the fact that the president eventually visited these states. However, the trips to the states reinforced what they already knew about the president: he is not a proactive president. Therefore, he could be forgiven for going to the troubled states this late.

Are the states any better than they were before the president’s visit? The answer is no. Forget what government officials tell you, the people are truly disappointed ‎by the presidents’ visit.

‎

In trying to justify why he did not visit the states immediately after the attacks, the president in Taraba State said he had network through which he received intelligence which kept him on top of happenings nationwide and therefore there was no need for him to rush to troubled states. However, while in Benue, the president admitted that he was not being fed with correct information on what is happening in these states. He admitted not knowing that the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Idris did not relocate to Benue as directed by him.

As simplistic as this sounds, it raises fundamental issues. How reliable is the intelligence the president is being fed with everyday? What does the president know and what does he not know about these killings? Now that it has become obvious that vital information, such as the police boss’ refusal to stay in Benue, is being hidden from the resident, how will the president make rational policy decision in the face of incomplete and unreliable intelligence?‎

The second leg of the issue has been debated widely on social media: what should happen to an inspector general of police who disobeys the president’s lawful directive? The answer appears simple enough for many but very difficult for the president. If you appoint someone to help you govern well and the opposite is what you get everyday, the proper decision to take is to relieve the person of his appointment. Simple.

As a result of the president’s inability to take decisive decisions, many of the people he appointed are no longer afraid to disobey his instructions. Remember the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal’s famous reaction to his suspension – ‘who is the presidency?’ Not long ago, the Minister for Women Affairs, Hajia Jumai Al Hassan publicly pledged her loyalty to former vice president Atiku Abubakar. There are many more acts of insurbodination in this government which the president is not even aware of or is aware of but does not know threaten his authority as president.

While in Benue, the president said he could not overlook killings in the state even as he promised the people improved security. So far, his conduct seems to prove otherwise. To say that the president’s visit did not meet the expectation of the people would not be an overstatement.

Suffice to point out that it is difficult to rely on the assurance of improved security made by the president. That was not the first time the president would give such assurances. Yet the killings continue. The president had barely left Plateau when the herdsmen struck again.

The Benue State Government had also expressed displeasure over the president’s failure to address critical issues during his visit to the state.

Mr Tahav Argezua, the Special Adviser, Media and ICT to Governor Samuel Ortom said the state expected Buhari to address the threat by herdsmen that they would wipe out citizens of the state.

Speaking on Channels TV Sunrise programme, Argezua said, “The president was in Benue but failed to address the situation on ground. Some set of people issued a threat six months back to kill Benue people. These people did not just execute this threat by killing hundreds of people, they also destroyed property worth billions of Naira and displaced over 170,000 people.

“The Benue people were expecting the president to tell them why these people, who issued these threats have not been arrested.”

He also spoke on the query the president gave to the Inspector General of Police for failing to comply with the directive to relocate to Benue, Argezua said: “We are not concerned about the president giving the IG a query, our major concerns are that we have over 170,000 displaced people in our internally displaced persons’ camps.

“The governor asked the president to come to the aid of the IDPs because the state resources have been over stressed. We are still waiting to hear from the president.”

So far, the president has been carrying on as if providing security amounts to doing Nigerians a great favour.

The constitution guarantees Nigerians right to life but everyday they are killed like fowls why we literally have to beg the president to do his job and protect the people in accordance with his oath of office.

Let us assume that it is difficult to stop the killings before they happen but why is it so difficult to arrest those who perpetuate the killings? Why can’t we prosecute them? The argument that prosecution of crimes is not exclusive to the federal government alone does not hold water. The police, under the control of the president, are expected to investigate crimes and submit report to the office of the Attorney General whether of state or of the federation for advice. How many killer herdsmen had been arrested by the police and handed over to the Benue State’s Attorney General or the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution?

Before he travelled to Benue, Buhari had visited Plateau, a state that has had its fair share of killings. While there, the president promised to stop the killings.

Hardly had the president left the state when killers herdsmen went on rampage. The situation forced the Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs to express concern.

The council condemned the incessant killings perpetrated by suspected Fulani herdsmen with a call on the government to intervene and intensify efforts at ending the bloodletting.

The monarchs also faulted the interpretation that the killings in Plateau State were communal clashes.

They also expressed shock that the perpetrators of the killings were bold enough to strike even on the day when Buhari visited Plateau State.

The chairman of PSCCE and Gbong Gwom Jos, His Royal Majesty, Jacob Buba Gyang, who spoke at the end of the monarchs’ quarterly meeting held in his palace said: “I want to say without any doubt that the killings in Plateau State are not communal clashes. If anybody says so, let them mention the communities involved in the clashes.

“They are normal security challenges involving farmers and herdsmen, armed robbery and many others. What we have witnessed in Bokkos and Irigwe chiefdoms in Bassa cannot be interpreted as communal clashes. To the best of my knowledge the attackers came from outside. The villagers don’t go outside to attack

“We had Mr. President here a few days ago, we thank God that his visit was successful and he left Plateau peacefully. But of great concern is the fact that when Mr. President was still here, there were very serious killings in Bokkos Local Government Area and Bassa LGA here, particularly in Irigwe chiefdom that is very close.”

Others in attendance at the meeting included the Long Geomai Shendam, HRH Miskoom Shaldas 3rd; Long Tehl, HRH Donal Puntel; Emir of Wase, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Sambo Haruna; Emir of Kanam, Alhaji Babangida Muazu Mohammadu; Agwom Izere, Rev. Dr. Isaac Azi Wakali and Long Pan, HRH Nda Emmanuel Dabang.

The traditional rulers regretted the killings and destruction of property during the president’s visit. They also expressed grave concern.

Despite the assurance given by the president in Plateau, the herdsmen struck, the people of Benue would be foolish to rely on similar assurance by the president.

The president’s visit ended up pitting the state governor, Simon Lalong against the minister for sports, Solomon Dalung.

No sooner had the president left Plateau than a war of words started between the minister and the governor. The minister on Facebook launched a scathing attack on the governor. He objected to the decision of the governor to name a portion of the road leading into Jos from Abuja as Muhammadu Buhari Way saying that the road had previously been named after former military head of state and a respected Plateau man, General Yakubu Gowon. The minister who prefaced his posting on his Facebook page with the biblical injunction ‘that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free,’ said: “Another disaster of the president’s visit was the renaming of Yakubu Gowon way to Muhammadu Buhari way. To say the least, it is embarrassing. Gowon was the president’s boss. How can he be stripped of a 40- year privilege and honour in his home state? This is the worst thing that can happen to a man like the elder statesman. I believe that General Gowon is feeling betrayed and abandoned by his own people.

“Also Mr. President was misled to believe that all the road networks in Jos metropolis were constructed by Governor Alert. It was morally wrong for Lalong to fail to acknowledge that it was Governor Jang’s legacies. I was an ardent critic of Governor Jang’s administration but I will not fail to credit his legacies because of differences. The only projects Lalong did are the road to his house and 40 tractors.”

It appeared that the minister was irked by the governor’s decision not to give him a prominent role to play in the president’s visit as he noted that the governor did not initially invite him for the presidential visit and that even when he got a belated invitation, he was ignored during the town hall meeting as he was not allowed to speak.

The minister’s outburst did not go down well with the authorities in Plateau. The chairman of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Latep Dabang quickly reacted. He said: “For Dalung to make such nonsensical remarks, it shows that he is just like a mad man on the street. As far as we are concerned, governance is about continuity not about personality. President Buhari came to the Plateau to commission projects that have and will better the lives of ordinary citizens. He did not simply come to commission only projects initiated by Governor Lalong alone.

“Is Dalung suggesting that because we commissioned some projects that Jonah Jang initiated, that we bring back Jonah Jang to commission them? That’s just silly.

“So for a minister in the capacity of Dalung’s standing to ridicule himself by making such ridiculous remarks   –and by countering what his boss (the president)   has said is frankly, very pathetic. It shows that Dalung is a man who is not well, he is sick in the head.”

The state’s commissioner for information, Yakubu Dati did not also spare the minister. He said: “This is a minister who has been a monumental embarrassment to Plateau State due to his illogical comments in the past like when he said Nigeria can never win the World Cup or when he said Nigerian athletes do not need to prepare to win tournaments.

“It is instructive to note the APC has never won election in his ward or his local government of Langtang South.

“The existing Yakubu Gowon way starts at Ta’en junction through building materials – Zarmaganda junction, Miango – old airport junctions, through secretariat overhead bridge and ends at Plateau Specialist Hospital round-about.”

In his response, the minister said he was of a sound mind because mad people did not possess capacities to raise weighty issues. He said: “As a leader he (the party’s chairman) should be interested in reconciliation rather than escalating situations.

“The Commissioner of information, Yakubu Datti, also must be appreciated for his response which only attempted to relocate the weighty issues about the state to personality feud. It is pardonable, because he doesn’t know anything about the party in Plateau State. His ranting effortlessly to demean my person is a character trait Yakubu Dati is known for. As the information machine of the government, I expected him to delve on issues and not attacking my person. “I cannot thank him enough for his explanation of the renaming of Yakubu Gowon way but again he appeared confused or deliberately economical with the truth. May be to satisfy his employer or because he is still battling with resettlement. He lacks the moral burden to address the issues.

“I am not surprised that since his compensation as commissioner for propaganda, Plateau communities can no longer know peace. No wonder, during the guided town hall meeting, there were attacks going on in Daffo, Bokkos LGA.

“Thank God Dati knew that I am from Sabongida in Langtang South LGA, but can he show us his father’s house in Mikang LGA? It is true that I did not win my ward in the last elections but I am a founding member of APC, not a political refugee fleeing away from PDP into our party to escape justice for dubious antecedents.

“In any case, can Yakubu Dati answer those questions I raised about the loan profile of the state? Where is the $2 billion (N20 billion) loan collected from African Development Bank for potatoes processing factory payable in 25 years? Where is the factory located? Or where is the money kept and whose account? Why did the state government keep the issue of the loan secret? What is happening to LG funds? What is happening to 5% meant for the traditional council? And if peace has returned to Plateau, why was the local government election suspended because of security concerns? Is it not true that Governor Jang constructed all the roads in Jos and Bukuru metropolis except for state low cost -Dong road?”

People have been killed but no one was held accountable for their death. Many have been displaced and are living in camps yet the president can not ask them to go back to their settlement because he can’t not guarantee their security.

Speaking in Lagos on the theme: “Rebuilding Trust in a Divided Nigeria,” Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka was surprised that the minister of defence, who was quoted as saying that “what do you expect them (herdsmen) to do when you block their path,” is still in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet till date.

He said rather than asking that the president should visit places where Book Haram or herdsmen have perpetrated havoc, Nigerians should be demanding for justice.

“Who needs sympathy? Is it sympathy that will reorder things? Justice is what we need. That is what we are talking about. Sympathy is ordinary commodity. People need security. There must be deterrent. When peoples’ right is trampled upon, read the riot act and give order against arrogant blood thirsty killers.

“There must be the courage to decree such monster group as terrorist organisation. Who needs a weeping president? One organisation has been descending on the people and their representatives are on television. Their spokesperson says the killings are taking place because of the laws made to stop the killings.”

Except the president and members of his kitchen cabinet change their perception on herdsmen killings, the country is not likely to see a solution soon. The president and his security chiefs wrongly hold the view that the herdsmen-farmers’ clashes are caused by misunderstanding between different communities. The Inspector General of Police had publicly attributed the clashes to lack of understanding between two people. The Minister of Defence, Dan Ali said it was the promulgation of anti-grazing bills by states that is causing the clashes. With this perception and mindset, is anyone still surprised that herdsmen-farmers clashes continue unabated? This is why the killings will continue. This is why no one is being prosecuted for the killings. The herdsmen understand the government’s mindset and are taking advantage of it. That is why the government can not show the same decisiveness with which it tackled the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra. While Dr Goodluck Jonathan was in power, herdsmen were not this bold. It is the attitude of the present regime that has emboldened the herdsmen. As long as Buhari remains the president people in vulnerable states such as Plateau, Benue and Taraba should prepare for a long haul as far as attacks by herdsmen are concerned. This government has difficulty understanding why some states would not allow herdsmen to walk freely across their states. The president and his security chiefs need to be educated on the limitation to the rights of herdsmen and how to manage conflicting interests. The thinking in government is that herdsmen have the right to graze in any part of the country. That will be correct if the herdsmen legally acquired the land upon which they graze. Such right does not allow them to go to Chief Olu Falae’s farm and destroy his crops. Why is this so difficult to appreciate? Government’s lack of decisiveness in tackling the herdsmen-farmers clashes is an invitation to anarchy.

While the killings continue, the federal government is still contemplating whether to build cattle colonies or ranches. No concrete step is being taken that can serve as an assurance to the people that a solution is being worked out.

There has been no effort to talk to the herdsmen that they would have to change the way they do their business. The minister of defence expects other people to vacate their farms so that herdsmen can pass.

If desertification is the problem, as claimed by the government what is being done to address the problem?

Government had refused to ask the herdsmen to surrender their weapons.