The continued failure of the presidency to utter a word about the gruesome killing of over 40 people at Nimbo in Uzo- Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State three days after the massacre is gradually pushing Nigerians on the brink of ethnic divide.
About seven villages in Nimbo (Nimbo Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ekwuru, Ebor, Enugu Nimbo, Umuome and Ugwuachara) were among the areas attacked, with up to ten residential houses and a church, Christ Holy Church International, aka Odozi Obodo, razed. Vehicles and motorcycles were also destroyed and domestic animals were not spared.
For three days, Nigerians have been wailing, expecting some empathy from their commander in chief over the killings of their own, yet, the silent treatment they are getting from the presidency is doing nothing to pacify an aggrieved people.
It was just a day to Monday’s mindless attack in Enugu that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, suggested that the president’s silence on the atrocities being perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen was deliberate, adding that he was ‘working silently’ to resolve the matter.
However, Buhari’s silence does not seem golden in this situation as Nigerians, especially of the southern region are beginning to have a feeling that his reluctance to chide the herdsmen is based on the fact that they are his kinsmen.
Whether that feeling is accurate or not is another matter but with pictures of the butchered villagers in Enugu circulating on social media with its attendant emotional evocation, the president needs to get his bum off the proverbial keg of gunpowder.
Read Tweets by compatriots along ethnic divides below…
@MBuhari is vocal about fighting boko haram, but says he’s silently working to solve the fulani herdsmen crisis. #hypocritical
— Ifeoluwa Adedokun (@ifeBamba) April 27, 2016
Buhari's kinsmen #fulaniherdsmen kill Nigerians and rape women with so much impunity bcos Buhari is in power. FG still silence over killings
— Comrade Baba Awuzie (@ComradeAwuzie) April 27, 2016
Hard to dismiss the fact that the silence from the presidency when the #FulaniHerdsmen attack started encouraged the perpetrators to do more
— Olu’ A. (@Olufemiloye) April 27, 2016
Enugu state is under attack again buhari and fulani herdsmen will pay for this someday!! Blood for blood
— Alpha leash (@G21_Ed) April 27, 2016
When I see people try hard to ‘justify’ the killings perpetuated by #FulaniHerdsmen , Martin Niemöller came to mind. pic.twitter.com/urGkRRsMjs
— Olu’ A. (@Olufemiloye) April 27, 2016
#fulaniherdsmen It’s a shame al dis happened n no govt official ave cum out to say anything… Lai Mohammed say somethng even if it’s a lie
— Gabriel Uzoma (@Gabbypark247) April 27, 2016
.@MBuhari always fronting like a STRONG man.He can’t even look #Nigeria ppl in the face &talk to them.U’d better act on Fulani Herdsmen now!
— E.J Alozie-Nwagboso (@Enwagboso) April 27, 2016
Some r seeing Fulani herdsmen attacks as Fulani traveled all d way from d sahara & attack Enugu. They r co-settlers in most of these places
— Ademola Adeyemo (@Dem_zie) April 27, 2016
But these Fulani herdsmen attacks so far, I am so worried that the presidency is saying nothing about this yet….what a country.?
— DR. IYKE (@lopexiyke) April 27, 2016
We cannot blame GEJ for inaction when #ChibokGirls were kidnapped & now shift blame of #FulaniHerdsmen attack to Governors. That is unjust.
— Olu’ A. (@Olufemiloye) April 27, 2016
When will clueless Buhari start fighting Fulani herdsmen?
When there is no one left for them to kill.
— ♔Chibuzo Anthony♔ (@KingAbsolute_) April 27, 2016
Now would have been a good time for Fr Mbaka’s voice to be heard comforting victims of Fulani herdsmen alas, like others, he has gone quiet!
— Ekklesia (@EkklesiaRock) April 27, 2016
@NGRPresident This isn’t a threat, people will start taking up arms if this Fulani-Herdsmen madness continues https://t.co/xagDy91xNp
— Adekoya Boladale (@Adekoyabee) April 27, 2016
GMB has fulfilled his promise by deploying service chiefs to Niger Delta to secure pipelines, what is he going to do about Fulani herdsmen?
— Award Winning Wife (@bimbo_cash) April 27, 2016
Na small small clap they become dance. Government is petting and pamparing this Fulani herdsmen now. Not knowing its bokoharam changing name
— Sheri (@Mz_sapiosexual) April 27, 2016
I feel d government is lax and hypocritical on dis fulani herdsmen issue
— Emmanuel Uwakwe (@Zanzakiriza1976) April 27, 2016
Daniel Fayemi for encomium.ng