Presidency speaks on Benue killings, says Buhari not to blame

The Presidency has spoken of efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari to end incessant killings in Benue and its neighbouring states, denying the president is to blame for the farmer/herders crises that have cost hundreds of lives in the last two years.

Mr. Buhari has been accused of condoning the killings by Fulani herdsmen because of his ethnicity.

The statement, issued Tuesday by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, said Mr. Buhari was “conscious of his duty to Nigerians, not least because he is held accountable for everything that goes wrong”.

“He deeply sympathizes with the families and all the other direct and indirect victims of this violence. He is determined to bring it to a permanent end,” the statement said.

The statement revealed that Mr. Buhari had been advised to challenge the constitutionality of the anti-open grazing law passed by Benue and Ekiti States, a suggestion he rejected.