Latest Junkun/Tiv, Fulani/Genjon violence worries Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the latest “needless” violent clashes between Jukuns and Tivs in Taraba State, and Fulani, Genjon and Bachama in Adamawa State resulting in arson, injuries and deaths”.

In a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja on Saturday, President Buhari said violence and bloodshed for whatever reason is unacceptable and condemnable, especially when it is coming as the nation celebrates Easter, with all the lessons of love and peace for humanity.

The statement quoted the President as saying: “violence has not and cannot be the solution to the resolution of misunderstandings among the people.

“Once we abandon reason and good judgement, we are giving violence the chance to take over and make a bad situation more complicated and difficult to resolve.’’

President Buhari also noted that “the primary initiative for ending the violence once and for all must originate from the local actors involved in these clashes.’’

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The statement said he has therefore mandated a religious group which has successfully been stitching up broken relationships between several communities in Plateau State to work with security agencies to take up the challenges of reconciling the communities in Kaduna, Taraba and Adamawa States.

The President has also directed the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and the National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons to scale up their efforts in bringing succour to displaced people.

He assured that immediate intervention by the military has brought calm back to communities, and “the government will not rest on its oars to provide security for all Nigerians, and will at the same time engage in dialogue with local stakeholders in order to get to the root of the crises.”