“Don’t blame Buhari, Herdsmen killed over 756 under Jonathan” — Presidency

The Presidency on Wednesday said it was unfair for people to blame Fulani herdsmen killings on president Buhari as over 756 people were killed by herdsmen in two years under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said in a video he posted on his Facebook page;

“Something that is disturbing that I have heard about it is linking those developments to the fact that a Fulani man is President and so, he is brooking such kind of evil acts.

“I think that is very unkind. And I will try to back my position with statistics.

“In 2013, particularly, there were nine cases of herdsmen invading communities in Benue state alone and more than 190 people were killed.

“In 2014, there were about 16 of such tragic developments with more than 231 people killed. And then there was a change of government in May 2015.

“But between January and May 2015, there were six attacks which left about 335 people dead.

“Now, the question is, during that period, did we have a Fulani president?”

Therefore, let nobody say that all this is happening because we have a Fulani president.We have had many Fulani presidents in the past and this issue of herders and local communities at loggerheads has predated this government.

“But I will just like to appeal to Nigerians that the Muhammadu Buhari government is determined to crack this issue, is determined to get to the bottom of it and it will get done,” he added.