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Buhari Exhibiting Poor Skills in Managing Nigeria’s Diversity- Umar

A former military governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retd), has said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government has exhibited poor skills in managing the diversity in Nigeria.

This was contained in a statement, yesterday, entitled, ‘‘Nigeria: A nation challenged,’’ the former military government said it was weird and disturbing that the Federal Government was according to unwarranted attention to the threats of separatist movements in contrast to the more disheartening activities posed by bandits, kidnappers and insurgents in the Northwest, some parts of North Central and Northeast.

Umar, who is also the leader of Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), a civil rights group, stressed that the arrest and prosecution of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is not Nigeria’s problem, but “the inability of the government to put an end to insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, while injustice, lack of equity and fairness is giving rise to the agitation by separatist groups in the country.’’

The former Governor called on the President to demonstrate the qualities of uniting Nigeria together, instead of dividing the country, and subsequently, leading to its disintegration.

Umar had in an open letter on May 30, 2020, warned President Buhari that his interest in appointing people from his section of the country will ruin the country.

In his statement, Umar said: “The recent re-arrest of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was greeted with a loud sigh of relief and celebration in some sections of the country. It also elicited congratulatory messages to the Federal Government, which appears overwhelmed by the intractable security challenges and in dire need of any redeeming act.

“This is clearly an exaggeration of the security threat Nnamdi Kanu and indeed IPOB pose to our nation’s security and unity.

“It is quite strange and disturbing that the Federal Government is according undue attention to the threats of separatist movements in contrast to the more daunting ones posed by bandits, kidnappers and insurgents in the Northwest, some parts of North Central and Northeast.

“Activities of those criminals have resulted in the evacuation of over 20 per cent of the villages in Northwest and Northeast. Hundreds are being murdered and maimed every week. Many more are kidnapped for ransom. Millions have been rendered internally displaced, facing disease and starvation. Over one thousand schoolchildren were abducted in the past eight months with over 300 still in the hands of the bandits and kidnappers demanding humongous ransom payments. The rape of women and young girls has become a daily occurrence.

“Most economic activities, particularly farming, which is the mainstay of the people in these areas, are now all but impossible. The government’s earlier claim of having technically defeated the Boko Haram insurgency has turned out to be empty propaganda. Contrary to this claim, the enemy has morphed into a more determined and deadly force, threatening to overrun the whole of the NE.

“For the average Northerner living in these zones, who is barely aware of the activities of separatists; banditry, kidnappings and insurgency are of greater threat and concern to him. The arrest of Nnamdi Kanu is of no serious consequence since it does nothing to ameliorate his harsh and brutal condition.

“In recognising or reasserting the right of every citizen or group to express their desire for self-determination, one does not support or condone the use of violence for such purpose. IPOB and its leader may well be responsible for some of the violence, including the murder of security personnel, arson and destruction of public and private properties for which they should be held to account.

“We must, however, be honest enough to identify the cause of the current growing restiveness in the Southeast. By all means, the government needs to deploy nonviolent means in addressing the problem. It is self-evident that justice, fairness and equity are the best means of building a united and virile nation, particularly one as diverse and fragile as Nigeria.

Umar who mocked the government added that: “Truth be told, the Buhari administration has so far exhibited poor skills in its management of our diversity. Yet it has the benefit of great examples by past administrations and statesmen, which should guide it.

Umar is famous for opposing the dissolution of the June 12 election in 1993 by the government in which he served. He was military governor of Kaduna between 1985 and 1988 under the regime of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

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