As the federal government continues to feel reluctant in tackling the menace of incessant killings by Fulani herdsmen, Femi Falana has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of 'impunity'.
Femi Falana
While speaking during a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily on Friday morning, popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), accused President Muhammadu Buhari of “impunity” in addressing recent killings by herdsmen in Benue and other states.
The senior advocate of Nigeria said the president was giving the impression of favouring one set of people against another.
“I’m now bothered when leaders come out to make statements that give the impression that we either out to cover up serious criminality,” he said.
“The government, the security forces know those who are carrying out these our problem. Since 1914, this is the first time in the history of our country that any group would go around, terrorising citizens with AK-47 rifle and they have not been crushed by the state.
“This regime, the Buhari administration, declared a war on insecurity in the country. He prides himself as having successfully tamed terrorism in the north-east. It crushed the indigenous people of Biafra. In the Niger Delta, a war has been waged against the militants. So, why are these guys allowed to go around killing people?
"Whether they are Nigerians or foreigners, you are simply giving the impression that the Nigerian state has collapsed. Because government anywhere in the world must monopolise violence. When you give that monopoly to a band of criminals, the government has failed,” Femi Falana said.
He accused the Buhari administration of thriving in the abuse of human rights of its citizens. “The governments of Nigeria, including the Buhari administration, have contempt for the abuse of the human rights of the people. Why are we trying to single out killings by these bandits in this country? In December 2015, the Nigerian Army killed 347 citizens, you called them Shiites, they were Nigerians. No post-mortem exercise was conducted.
"The Army and the Kaduna state government buried the dead bodies in a secret grave, nobody has been brought to book. Between 2013 and 2016, 1800 people were killed in Benue state. We are being told that about 90 people have been arrested, none will be charged to court. When you have an atmosphere of reckless impunity promoted by the government, what do you expect?”