FG promises to end Fulani herdsmen’s attacks, killings

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NIGERIA: THE government at the centre has assured that plans are being put in place to find lasting panacea to the incessant attacks and killings being carried out by Fulani herdsmen across the country.

The words of assurance came from the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday during a special prayer for the nation’s stability and his turbaning as the Grand Patron of Saadatul Abadiyyah Organisation of Nigeria held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

According to him, the effects of the measures would become noticeable within the next few weeks.

Mohammed stated that President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a panel of inquiry into the recent attacks allegedly carried out by herdsmen to ensure that the matters surrounding the onslaught are immediately resolved.

The Minister emphasised that communal clashes are very delicate and emotional, and as such require concerted efforts toward finding workable solutions.
Mohammed said: “The President did speak immediately these things happened to the extent of setting up a panel of enquiry, but the government is going to do more than that.

“These communal clashes are very delicate issues, very emotional and what the government is doing is working very silently to ensure that people who use to live together before without any conflict will go back to that; in few weeks from now, we will begin to see the result of that.”
The Minister also assured the nation that the plans by the Federal Government to generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity by 2019 remain feasible.

He emphasised that the activities of agitators, especially from the South-South and South-East, have not been helpful in finding lasting solutions to the problems of power in the country.
Mohammed, while revealing that about five gas pipelines had been completed, also stated that the country had adequate capacity to generate enough power for its citizenry, but that the distribution power had been damaged by lack of gas occasioned by the activities of vandals.
While urging Nigerians to be patriotic and desist from attacking facilities, the Minister added that immediately the gas platforms are repaired, the country will have capacity to distribute about 5,000 megawatts.
“It is very feasible, you see actually the capacity to generate, we don’t have any problems at all; actually by February 2nd this year, we were able to generate and transmit 5,074 megawatts of power, but we are in this situation today mainly because of the attacks on the export lines,” the Minister stressed.
He added: “What we have now is that we have the capacity to generate, but we don’t have enough gas and as soon as these platforms are repaired, we will be able to generate and transmit more than 5, 000 megawatts, even at 10, 000 megawatts at 2019, its quite feasible.
“There are about five other pipeline projects that have been completed now and that is Ajimosho, there is Omotosho, there’s one in Sapele and the combined capacity of the four projects is well over 2, 300 but because of lack of gas, we are generating less than 500 megawatts, 10,000 megawatts by 2019 is very feasible.”
Mohammed also said: “We are going to appeal to Nigerians to be very patriotic and they should please stop attacking, destroying facilities, but on the part of government is that we are looking for other means of gas also from Warri so as to allow stations around Sapele to have gas.
“My message to Nigerians is that, we feel keenly their pains, we empathize with them and we are doing everything to ensure the pain is remedied.”

He declared: “Really, it’s quite unfortunate that agitators who presumably are trying to make a point are either fighting for the right of the people, but by attacking facilities, we are destroying the hopes and aspirations of these particular people.”