President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said the killings in Zamfara State was more than the number of deaths recorded in Plateau and Benue States put together.
He said it should not be seen to be a religious crisis.
Buhari stated this after a closed-door meeting with government officials, security agencies and traditional leaders in Plateau State on the recent resurgence of killings that claimed scores of people in parts of the State.
The President said having sought to be president four times, “it is my responsibility to protect the lives and properties of every Nigerian and I cannot run away from it.”
He commiserated with those who lost their loved ones and stressed that anyone found with a weapon must be arrested and prosecuted.
Buhari also appealed to the people of Plateau State to bury their differences and work together for the peace of the State.
The President condemned the crisis and urged the leadership at every level to be awake to their responsibility of driving the peace process.
In his remarks Governor Simon Lalong said, “This current attack, Your Excellency Mr. President, is very disturbing and alarming because it has left behind in its ugly trail the painful loss of over 200 people, besides the humanitarian challenge confronting thousands of displaced persons whose houses and crops have been burnt and completely destroyed.
“Mr. President, your Government has made it clear and you have eloquently stated that you will continue to protect and preserve the sanctity of life. Agents of destabilization are, however, hell bent on making nonsense of the success you have achieved in dealing with internal security threats to our corporate existence as a Nation”, he lamented.
“Our State is a beneficiary of the several measures put in place; on your instruction, the Nigeria Police has established a new Mobile Police Squadron in the Southern Zone of the State, and the Nigeria Air Force has also established a Rescue Search and Combat Command at Kerang in the Central Senatorial District of Plateau State all in bid to activate crises response time of the Security.
“While we are looking forward to the security gains that will emanate from this established security bases, we have again been confronted with renewed attacks which have left us with increased man-made humanitarian crises as a result of the condemnable and reprehensible conducts of the haters of our peace and humanity.”
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