By Akanimo Sampson
In a seeming damning allegation, a Nigerian constitutional lawyer and human rights activist says President Muhammadu Buhari has been giving the murderous Fulani herdsmen the leverage to wreck havoc across Nigeria.
In a post on his Facebook wall, Inibehe Effiong stated, “Those who are silent on this evil in our country will not escape the harsh verdict of history.’’
His obviously weighty allegation is coming after a report by the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA) claimed that no fewer than 10,665 Nigerians died from herdsmen clashes, banditry, Boko Haram conflict, cultism and other violence across the country.
In the report, Nigeria Watch: Eighth Report on Violence; 2018, IFRA added that the number of deaths recorded in 2018 was 1.4 percent higher than what was recorded in the country from same lethal violence in 2017.
The Institute on the report posted on its website lamented that the major causes of violent deaths in Nigeria within the year under review were “crime, political, land and religious issues, cattle grazing and road accidents,’’ adding “the most dangerous states in Nigeria in 2018 included Borno, Zamfara, Benue, Kaduna and Adamawa states’’, pointing out that they had the highest number of lethal violence within the year under review.
The report further said the consistent decrease in fatalities from violence in Nigeria since 2014 was halted in 2018 which marked a rise in general crime across the country with banditry becoming prevalent in Zamfara and Kaduna.
Their statistics however, showed that 2,135 Nigerians lost their lives in 2018 from Boko Haram attacks, a figure less than the 2,829 fatalities in 2017, accounting for 28 percent decrease. Cult related killings accounted for 453 deaths in 162 incidents while 238 people were killed in 76 kidnap incidents.
In 2018, 2,331 victims were allegedly killed in 350 lethal incidents involving security operatives.
“Out of 3,425 fatalities caused by criminal incidents, banditry resulted in 930 across 15 states, with Zamfara recording 714 of the total statistics. Cultism is another major form of violence that caused the death of 446 people in 153 lethal events in 2018. Among the affected 24 states and the FCT, Rivers and Lagos recorded the highest number of fatalities with, respectively, 70 and 49 people killed during the period under study.
“Unlike domestic violence, which decreased in the year, kidnapping for ransom increased from 290 fatalities in 2017 to 358 in 2018, mainly in Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi and Kwara states.
“Kaduna maintained its status as the most dangerous state in respect to kidnapping, with a record of 23 deaths in 15 incidents. Abuja-Kaduna expressway and Birnin Bwari LGA also remained hotspots for kidnapping activities. “Pastoral conflict across 17 states claimed 1,882 lives in 2018.
“Farmers and herdsmen mostly clashed for grazing space. Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states were the most hit in the Middle Belt. While Benue state recorded 532 fatalities, Plateau recorded 291 and Nasarawa 243.’’
In the mean time, the constitutional lawyer cum human rights activist says the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of President Buhari is a plague. ‘’As things stand, we’re heading to the precipice. This administration is watered with the blood of innocent Nigerians. May we not die over what we are not responsible for. This is one of the most irresponsible and vile government in the history of mankind,’’ Effiong wrote.
According to him, “There is so much bloodshed in the land. When Buhari violates the law, his supporters say it in the national interest. When opponents of Buhari’s government violates the law, Buhari supporters say it is against the national interest.
“When appointees of Buhari are accused of wanton corruption, Buhari supporters say they are still innocent until proven guilty; case in point is the current DG of NBC, Modibbo. When opponents of Buhari are accused of wanton corruption, Buhari supporters say they are guilty until proven innocent.
“If we depend on Buhari and his supporters to safeguard our democracy and the rule of law, we may not have a country anymore.”
