Killings: I have my way of gathering intelligence – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday appealed to all Nigerians to
embrace peace and live together with one another in harmony so that
“there could be meaningful development and not destruction.”

Buhari spoke in Jalingo -the Taraba State capital during a visit
in the crisis-ridden State to console families who lost their loved
ones and properties in waves of attacks.

The president said he has a way of getting intelligence on
happenings across the country, so he should not be expected to
always go out to war fields to make noise and insult the
sensibility of Nigerians before it would be known that he was
taking actions against killings and insecurity.

He was accompanied to Taraba by the ministers of Women Affairs,
Defense, Information and Culture, member sof the National Assembly
from Taraba and other Service Chiefs.

He was received by Governor Darius Ishaku, in company of the
Speaker of the state Assembly and other top government
functionaries, before having an interface with stakeholders from
the crisis areas in Government House.

Buhari said he had chosen to visit Taraba first, before visiting
Benue and Zamfara states, after his trip to Ghana, to also condole
with the people of those states over their lost ones.

He noted there were more killings in Taraba, Benue and Zamfara
than other places.

“I am here (Taraba) to meet with the leadership of the state, to
offer my condolences to those who lost loved ones and properties in
violence.

“People, sometime, expect me to rush out to the fields, to go
and make noise.

“But I have my ways of gathering intelligence. I get to know
what is happening across the country without necessarily going to
those areas.

“I will be going to Benue and Zamfara after I return from Ghana,
to also condole with the people,” Buhari said.

He called on traditional rulers in the state to step up
activities in their various Chiefdoms to foster peaceful
coexistence among their subjects and to remain vigilante at all
times.

Governor Darius Ishaku said the state was delighted to welcome
the President in its trying time.

The governor noted that Taraba state was a “mini Nigeria” as it
has over 80 tribes and three religions to handle. “It is not easy
to always balance things up here.”

Ishaku said the state was contending with a different specie and
breed of herdsmen who are militias moving around with AK 47 riffles
to remove anything in their way, unlike the known herdsmen who had
cohabited with the people for decades without any serious
skirmishes.

“The problem is never between the locals. Both the local Fulani
and other tribes blend without issues.

“We have a new breed and specie of herdsmen militias who move
around with sophisticated weapons; they are poised to remove
anything in their track.
“They must be arrested now before it degenerates to something we
can not contend with”, Ishaku said.

Opinion leaders from the warring tribes insisted justice and
fairness must be seen taking course and the rule of law allowed to
prevail for peace to return.

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday appealed to all Nigerians to
embrace peace and live together with one another in harmony so that
“there could be meaningful development and not
destruction.”

Buhari spoke in Jalingo -the Taraba State capital during a visit
in the crisis-ridden State to console families who lost their loved
ones and properties in waves of attacks.

The president said he has a way of getting intelligence on
happenings across the country, so he should not be expected to
always go out to war fields to make noise and insult the
sensibility of Nigerians before it would be known that he was
taking actions against killings and insecurity.

He was accompanied to Taraba by the ministers of Women Affairs,
Defense, Information and Culture, member sof the National Assembly
from Taraba and other Service Chiefs.

He was received by Governor Darius Ishaku, in company of the
Speaker of the state Assembly and other top government
functionaries, before having an interface with stakeholders from
the crisis areas in Government House.

Buhari said he had chosen to visit Taraba first, before visiting
Benue and Zamfara states, after his trip to Ghana, to also condole
with the people of those states over their lost ones.

He noted there were more killings in Taraba, Benue and Zamfara
than other places.

“I am here (Taraba) to meet with the leadership of the state, to
offer my condolences to those who lost loved ones and properties in
violence.

“People, sometime, expect me to rush out to the fields, to go
and make noise.

“But I have my ways of gathering intelligence. I get to know
what is happening across the country without necessarily going to
those areas.

“I will be going to Benue and Zamfara after I return from Ghana,
to also condole with the people,” Buhari said.

He called on traditional rulers in the state to step up
activities in their various Chiefdoms to foster peaceful
coexistence among their subjects and to remain vigilante at all
times.

Governor Darius Ishaku said the state was delighted to welcome
the President in its trying time.

The governor noted that Taraba state was a “mini Nigeria” as it
has over 80 tribes and three religions to handle. “It is not easy
to always balance things up here.”

Ishaku said the state was contending with a different specie and
breed of herdsmen who are militias moving around with AK 47 riffles
to remove anything in their way, unlike the known herdsmen who had
cohabited with the people for decades without any serious
skirmishes.

“The problem is never between the locals. Both the local Fulani
and other tribes blend without issues.

“We have a new breed and specie of herdsmen militias who move
around with sophisticated weapons; they are poised to remove
anything in their track.
“They must be arrested now before it degenerates to something we
can not contend with”, Ishaku said.

Opinion leaders from the warring tribes insisted justice and
fairness must be seen taking course and the rule of law allowed to
prevail for peace to return.