Femi Adeshina recently led the charge in politicizing Fulani herdsmen bloody massacres when he claimed that the herdsmen killed 756 citizens under the administration of their favorite scapegoat, former President Jonathan. The claim was a desperate bid to ward off accusations that President Buhari is brutally unmoved and silent over the massacres because he is Fulani.
Well, Jonathan has responded. Below are excerpts of his response. Note the threat by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai back then in 2012. Read and ponder:
"Let it be known that we find the statement by the Presidency stating that 756 Nigerians were killed by Fulani herdsmen in two years under the government of former President Jonathan as a mischievous assertion by a callous Presidential spokesman who thinks that death is something to be trivialized.
"For the avoidance of doubt, let it be known that the figure of 756 is wrong. But the issue is not that it is a false figure, the issue is that former President Jonathan was not inactive in the face of Fulani herdsmen killings during his Presidency.
"In July 2012, the Plateau state government reported that herdsmen killings had reached a head in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area leading to tens of deaths of Nigerian citizens by Fulani herdsmen, many of whom were not even Nigerian citizens.
"Then President Jonathan, when briefed about the situation insisted that there would not be such impunity under his leadership and immediately ordered the army and the Air Force to go to the affected communities and fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.
"The military immediately obeyed the then President’s orders and sent troops and helicopters to Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. They ordered all residents to leave their residence for temporary accommodation provided for them so they could conduct a joint air and ground operation to flush out the armed herdsmen who had been suspected of killing innocent Nigerians.
"The residents complied and the soldiers went in and not only did they clear the area, they made arrests which led to trials and convictions.
"We wish to remind Nigerians that when this episode was being carried out, it was precisely members of the opposition who later became the All Progressive Congress that heavily criticized then President Jonathan’s orders.
"In fact, a prominent member of the APC and now the Governor of Kaduna State and a known confidante of the President, Malam Nasir El-Rufai tweeted his now infamous tweet on the 15th of July 2012 threatening that “We will write this for all to read. Anyone, soldier or not that kills the Fulani takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes.” (his exact words).
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