Worried by the spate of killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, Catholic Bishops have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop presiding “over the killing fields and mass graveyard” that the country had allegedly become and chosen the path of honour by considering “stepping aside to save the nation from total collapse.”
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) made the call in a communique signed by its President, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, and Secretary, Most Rev. Camillus Umoh, and made available to The PUNCH on Thursday evening.
In the communique entitled, “When will this barbarism end?”, the Bishops condemned the increasing attacks by the suspected herdsmen, whom they said had turned the country into a massive graveyard.
The communique read in part, “That our two priests, Fr. Joseph Gor and Fr. Felix Tyolaha, along with their parishioners were waylaid in the course of the celebration of the Holy Mass early in the morning, suggests very clearly that their murder was carefully planned. This wicked act cannot be said to be a revenge attack (as is often claimed).
“Whom have these priests attacked? Indeed, we have just discovered that on January 3, this year, Fr. Gor tweeted, ‘We are living in fear. The Fulani are still around here in Mbalom (where they (priests) were killed). They refuse to go. They still go grazing around. No weapons to defend ourselves.’
“Their desperate cries for security and help went unheeded by those who should have heard them. They could have fled but, true to their vocation, they remained to continue to serve their God unto death.”
The communique continued, “We are sad. We are angry. We feel totally exposed and most vulnerable. Faced with these dark clouds of fear and anxiety, our people are daily being told by some to defend themselves.
“But defend themselves with what? The Federal Government, whose primary responsibility it is to protect lives, for its part alleges that those who ask the people to defend themselves are inciting them to take the laws into their own hands. But how can the Federal Government stand back while its security agencies deliberately turn a blind eye to the cries and wailing of helpless and harmless citizens who remain sitting ducks in their homes, farms, highway and now, even in sacred places of worship?”
The Catholic bishops lamented that in spite of several calls on the President in the last two years to reconfigure his security apparatus and strategy, “which the President has deliberately placed in the hands of the adherents of only one religion,” and the lack of confidence expressed by the CBCN in the security agencies, the blood-letting and destruction of homes and farmlands had increased “with intensity and brutality.”
They also noted that the rate of insecurity in Nigeria had become an embarrassment in the international community, as the Catholic body found it difficult to continue to give excuses about the continuous killings in the country, where “a nation’s landscape is littered with the bodies of its own citizens.
“We are sad and fear that the clock is ticking. The bomb must be defused quickly before it explodes,” the statement added.
It continued, “Since the President, who appointed the heads of the nation’s security agencies has refused to caution them even in the face of the chaos and barbarity into which our country has been plunged, we are left with no choice but to conclude that they are acting a script that he approves of. If the President cannot keep our country safe, then he automatically loses the trust of the citizens.
“He should no longer continue to preside over the killing fields and mass graveyard that our country has become. Repeated calls from us and many other Nigerians on the President to take very drastic and urgent steps to reverse this ugly tragedy that threatens the foundation of our collective existence and unity as a nation have fallen on deaf ears.
“It is clear to the nation that he has failed in his primary duty of protecting the lives of the Nigerian citizens. Whether this failure is due to inability to perform or lack of political will, it is time for him to choose the part of honour and consider stepping aside to save the nation from total collapse.”
The bishops further advised Nigerians to be courageous and stand for their fundamental rights to life and security, even as it faulted the recent mop-up exercise by the Nigeria Police, “since those we pay to protect us have failed to do their duty.”
The statement added, “Government should encourage and empower citizens to secure themselves and their environments. This is not the time to disarm people with legally procured weapons of self-defence.
“These are not normal times, since those we pay to protect us have failed to do their duty. Nigeria can return to normal times, if we put our heads together with sincerity.”
They also described the killing of the priests and 15 parishioners in the Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State on Tuesday as a dastardly act that was “carefully planned.”
Meanwhile, Senators were eager to commence impeachment proceedings, Thursday, but for the intervention of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The senators wanted the chamber to begin the process of the president’s impeachment immediately but, reason prevailed.
They accused President Buhari of alleged violation of Section 80 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Buhari was specifically accused of withdrawing $496.3 million from the Excess Crude Account, which belongs to the three tiers of government- Federal, State and Local Governments.
The money was used to purchase military helicopters from the United States Government.
The military helicopters are expected to be delivered in 2020.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide drew first blood when he moved the impeachment notice, through a motion. He urged the senate president to activate section 143 of constitution.
Urhoghide described Buhari’s action as an impeachable offence and called on his colleagues to support the move.
“This matter yesterday was raised by me to say that this request that was sought by Mr President is procedurally wrong. What has been read by the Senate Leader was that this matter has been referred to the Appropriate Committee for inclusion of this amount of money that has already been spent.
“This ought to have been the first request to this Senate. We must put it on record that this is a violation of procedure as stated in the 1999 constitution.
“The objective of the expenditure is very well established but the procedure is wrong. There are serious consequences for violation of our constitution. As a consequence, the only thing we can draw from, on this, is that we call on you, Mr. President, to invoke section 143 of the constitution. Because, what it means is that this matter is not to be investigated. It is clear that this offence has been committed by the President.
“I want this senate to resolve that what the president did is procedurally wrong and a violation of our constitution, it must be condemned and of course, the consequences of section 143 of our constitution should be invoked. I so move, Mr. President.”
Chukwuka Utazi seconded the motion and added that lawmakers will be ridiculed if they refuse to defend the constitution.
On his part, Senator Shehu Sani, kicked against the impeachment moves but suggested that the agreement be voided and the money returned to the coffers of the Federal Government, pending when a constitutional approval will be given by the National Assembly.
Another APC Senator, Abu Ibrahim from Buhari’s home state of Katsina, supported Buhari’s action.
He said the president’s action was not out of place since the decision was taken in the interest of the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari was saved from being served an impeachment notice by some senators on Thursday, April 26.
The Senate president and the Senate leader intervened in the call for impeachment which was made by Senator Mathew Uroghide.
Bukola Saraki referred the motion to Judiciary Committee of the Senate.
