President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged
victims of herdsmen attacks not to engage in
reprisals.
He reassured the people of the Northcentral, who
are mostly at the receiving end of the attacks,
that his administration would not tolerate such
barbaric acts.
The President spoke while commissioning the
Comprehensive Special School, Lafia, Nasarawa
State.
He plans to visit other states where herdsmen-
farmers clashes have led to many deaths. Buhari
will be in Taraba, Zamfara and Benue, but no
dates have been set for the trips.
Buhari said that the Federal Government was
working hard to ensure that peace and stability
returned to the region.
According to him, additional resources have been
deployed to end the crisis and maintain law and
order.
The President said: “I also want to assure the
people of the Northcentral and indeed all
Nigerians that the Federal Government is working
day night to ensure that peace and stability
return.
“We have deployed additional resources to all the
affected areas to maintain law and order.
“The attacks by suspected herdsmen and other
bandits will not be tolerated.
“I appeal to all Nigerians to refrain from reprisal
attacks. The security agencies have standing
order to arrest and prosecute any and all persons
found with illegal arms.
“I will, once again, express my condolences and
sympathy to all the affected victims of these
barbaric acts.”
He pledge that the change mantra of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) would continue to
be the basis for solutions to Nigeria’s problems.
He said: “Let me use this opportunity to stress
that the Change philosophy which precipitated the
APC Government will continue to idealise and
identify issues that are critical to our socio-
economic development with a view to proffering
lasting solutions to them.
“I want to assure Nigerians that we would
intensify our commitment towards the realisation
of the cardinal objectives of this Administration
anchored on securing lives and property, curbing
corruption and ensuring economic growth through
diversification.”
The President noted that the people of Nasarawa
have always been with the Change movement,
since the early days of the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC) through APC.
He said: “In 2011, the people of Nasarawa
decided to vote for Change, voted for the CPC in
order to have a government for the people, and in
2015 they voted for continuity.
“Today, I am obliged to reiterate Governor Al-
Makura’s proclamation that, indeed, Nasarawa
State is my political home.
“Since the inauguration of His Excellency Umar
Tanko Al-Makura as the Governor of Nasarawa
State in May, 2011; the occasion which I attended
personally, I have been following the trend of
events in the state and the reports I receive are
that of execution of many projects.
“Accordingly, during my campaign visit to
Nasarawa State in 2015, I noticed the
transformation within Lafia metropolis.”
Other projects the President commissioned
included the Electronic Library, a Fire Service
facility and a township road, a model primary
health care centre and the Karu International
Market.
Noting that “this is the Change people of
Nasarawa voted for,”’ Buhari said: “I must add
that these projects, I believe, were executed
owing largely to the frugality of Governor Al-
Makura in the management of the meagre
resources at the disposal of the administration in
the state.”
Pleased with the launch of the pilot scheme of the
Community Health Influencers, Promoters and
Services (CHIPS) National Programme at
Kwandare, Lafia Local Government Area, the
President directed the Federal Ministry of Health
to synergise with other states to roll out the
programme to enable the less privileged and rural
dwellers have access to health services.
He assured the state that all ongoing federal
strategic projects, especially the power
transmission sub-stations and roads, would be
completed to further enhance the socio-
economic development of Nasarawa State and
the Northcentral.
Speaking earlier during a courtesy call on the Emir
of Lafia, Alhaji Isa Mustafa Agwai, the President
said he was honoured to visit the state for the
first time since he assumed office.
He said: “I am very pleased to honour this
invitation which your governor booked as soon as
I was sworn in as the President.
“I tried to remain within the castle called Aso Villa
but I had to break out and come in order to
honour this invitation which has been outstanding
for so long.”
Governor Al-Makura urged the Federal
Government to take over the construction of the
Keffi-Lafia-Vaji road, which will reduce Lafia –
Abuja travel time to one hour from three hours.
He described Nasarawa as the “political
laboratory” of President Buhari as it was the only
state won by the defunct CPC founded by the
president.
He said the state had adopted the President’s
Change template to ensure the best practices
which will bring development to the people
especially the downtrodden.
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