Benue
State was one of the states that massively voted for President
Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 general election. Buhari was given that
kind of support so that he would come in and reposition Nigeria on a
more progressive track. But things turned out to be the other way round
after he won the election and was sworn-in on May 29, 2015.
Although
Fulani herdsmen have been attacking farmers and villages in Benue State
before Buhari was elected, he has further compounded the attacks by
given deaf ears and blind eyes to the attacks. He and his security
chiefs have openly shown that they are not concerned about the security
of the people of Benue State. They are using the Anti-Open Grazing law
of the state to justify Fulani herdsmen attacks.
If Buhari and
his security chiefs can treat the people of Benue State this way when he
still need their votes in 2019, just imagine what he will do to them
after he wins his re-election in 2019 and no longer needs their votes or
anyone else.
Buhari has turned against Benue State and if he
eventually, wins in 2019, then Benue State should expect a worse
scenerio of these attacks because he has clearly shown on whose side he
stands. Only God knows what he will do to Benue State after he wins in
2019. I perceive a worse case scenario.
By Terfa Naswem