President Muhammadu Buhari, says he has given the Armed Forces and the Police instructions to be ruthless with bandits and vandals terrorising the Northwestern part of the country.
The President disclosed this during an interview with a private television station, (Arise Television,) saying he had told the Military and the Police to treat bandits in “the language they understand,”
“The Problem in the North-West; you have people over there stealing each other’s cattle and burning each other’s villages. As I said, we are going to treat them in the language they understand.
“We have given the Police and the Military the power to be ruthless. You watch it in a few weeks’ time there will be a difference.”
”Because we told them if we keep people away from their farm, we are going to starve and the government cannot control the public. If you allow hunger, the government is going to be in trouble and we do not want to be in trouble. We are already in enough trouble. So we warn them. Sooner than later you’ll see the difference,” he said.
Speaking on dealing with farmers/herders clashes, the President said the problem had persisted because old cattle routes and grazing areas had been violated by development, adding that those who had taken over such traditional arrangements would be dispossessed.
Lateefah Ibrahim
