Nigeria’s Youths and Sports Minister, Mr. Solomon Dalung on Tuesday said
President Muhammadu Buhari was shut out of the realities of the violent
attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State until his recent
chat with the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) leadership at the
Presidential villa in Abuja.
The revelations by the Church leaders last week during a courtesy call “really distressed” the President, Mr. Dalung said.
Addressing the 95th General Church Council meeting of the Church in
Jos the Plateau State capital, the Minister said the Church by its “very
frank” submissions had relieved him of the burden of having to convince
the President on the truth he was not being told by others.
He therefore called the Church to ignore negative criticisms against the visit saying the Church could never be silenced.
“Do not be discouraged or distracted by those who, on the expediency
of their political considerations, tried to twist the visit and give it a
coloration that best suits their self-centered narrative,” he advised.
The Minister assured that the President had taken “serious” actions
on the security concerns raised by the Church during its visit to the
President.
“The Church gave statistics and the President has called the
Inspector General of Police to come and report on the situation,” he
said.
The Executive Council of COCIN led by the Church’s President, Rev.
Dr. Dachollom Datiri had last week visited President Muhammadu Buhari
where they intimated him on the continued “senseless killings” in
Plateau State by “Fulani herdsmen”.
The delegation told the President that there were attempts to change
the narrative on the attacks and hide the truth for the “carnage” to
continue.
Rev. Datiri yesterday reechoed the position of the Church on the killings saying “we are tired of burying our lovedones.”
Healleged complicity on the part of security agencies as well as the government.
“I reported in the last GCC the rampant and destructive attacks on
communities by some Fulani herdsmen, the disturbing and blatant attempts
to change the narrative, even by some service chiefs in calling these
attacks clashes between farmers and herdsmen, as well as the several
evidences of complicity by men of the security.
“I called on Government to take her primary and constitutional
responsibility seriously and guarantee the security of lives and
property of her citizenry. That seemed to have fallen on deaf ears,”
said the Church leader.