President Buhari, Cause Of Separatist Agitations In The Country – Col Umar (rtd)

Colonel Abubakar Umar (rtd), former military Administrator of Kaduna State, has castigated the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for paying undue attention to threats of separatist movements in contrast to the more daunting threats posed by bandits, kidnappers and insurgents in the North West, some parts of North Central and North East.

Col. Umar pointedly laid the blame for separatist agitations threatening national unity at the doorstep of President Buhari, stressing that his administration failed to unite the country.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and made available to Forefront News, titled; ‘Nigeria; A Nation Challenged,‘ Col. Umar (rtd), said the best way to unite a diverse and fragile nation like Nigeria is through justice, fairness and equity.

In his words; “The current administration has so far exhibited poor skills in the management of national diversities despite availability of great examples by past administrations and statesmen.

“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 North West, some parts of North Central and North East.

“Activities of those criminals have resulted in the evacuation of over 20 per cent of the villages in NW and NE. 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 school children were abducted in the past eight months with over 300 still in the hands of the bandits and kidnappers demanding humongous ransom payments.

“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,” he noted.

The former military administrator also said that the federal government’s earlier claim of having technically defeated Boko Haram insurgency in the North East has turned out to be empty propaganda.

He further said; “Contrary to this claim, the enemy has morphed into a more determined and deadly force, threatening to overrun the whole of the North East.

“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,” Umar insisted.