Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not behind herdsmen killings as claimed by some people in the country.
The minister speaking to newsmen during his visit to Awka over the weekend described the allegation as false and plans by some persons to instigate the citizenry against the President.
Ngige reiterated that people could fabricate stories to heat up the polity as election year draws closer.
According to him, “It is misinformation to say that the President was behind herdsmen killings in the country. Such opinions are intended to instigate the citizenry against the President.
“However, Nigeria is a secular state where no one can force any religion on any person.
“Such misinformation are practical evidence of rumours and the All Progressives Congress is not perturbed because it knows it is an election year when anything can happen.
“Some misguided elements who are miscreants; some of them pose as herdsmen and they go and do cattle rustling, shooting the owners of cattle and take their cattle away.
“Buhari is not silent over the killings across the country by Fulani herdsmen, rather he has condemned it.
“The President noted that in addition to the economic implications of the activities of herdsmen, some people were fighters who had access to arms and ammunition; trained in Libya as Gaddaffi stockpiled arms and ammunition over the years and when he was killed, his arms were dispersed across West Africa comprising Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Chad and some others that have prevalence of violence and random killings.”
