Former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to look into the killing of 37 herdsmen by the Nigerian Air Force some months ago.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) met with the President on Thursday evening at the Presidential Villa.
He told journalists he was also there to commend Tinubu for his economic policies and also discuss how to solve the problem of herdsmen/farmers’ clashes with him.
In January, SaharaReporters reported that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) accused the Air Force of killing its members in the Rukubi community of Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
MACBAN President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma disclosed this in a statement sent to SaharaReporters, saying about 40 were killed by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force Base in Makurdi.
According to him, they were killed while returning from Makurdi, the Benue State capital, where they went to retrieve over 1,000 cows seized by the Benue Livestock Guards.
Sanusi said, “I came to appeal to him on the case of 37 herdsmen who were burnt by the Air Force in Nasarawa state a few months ago which we wrote a letter to (former) President Buhari on. And we have now written a reminder because it is a matter we do not want to be swept under the carpet.
“And the president has asked me to again send the letter and I’m sure that he will look into the matter.”
Sanusi also said another major issue he discussed with the president was the issue of poverty, especially in northern Nigeria, “the questions of out of school children, girl child education and his thoughts on that matter and this is a big priority for him and we will be continuing with the conversation to see how we can help with ideas for us to address these issues”.
According to Sanusi, without proper education for the Northern population, the amelioration of extreme poverty and insecurity in the region will not be achieved.
Regarding the herdsmen crisis, Sanusi said, “I’m concerned with the issue of herdsmen/farmers clashes. He (President Tinubu) is also concerned. And we discussed steps that need to be taken to begin to look at some of those issues.”
He praised President Tinubu for his policies regarding the issues of fuel subsidy and multiple exchange rate regimes.
He said, “The first reason was to come and congratulate him formally, but also because I wear many caps, I wear the cap of an economist so I came to thank him for the steps he has taken to put this economy on course.
“As you know many of the issues that we’ve talking about; the subsidy that has caused a hemorrhage on the fiscal’s, the multiple exchange rates regime and on. These are issues that I have personally been talking about for a long time and I’m happy that on his very first day, he has addressed these issues and the markets are happy.
“It’s important when the government does the right thing for us to give them feedback. It’s not always when they do the wrong thing that we complain.
“So he has started on such a strong footing and as far as the economy is concerned. We have to come and support and encourage that we continue along that path and be advocates for the policies he has pursued”.
SaharaReporters
