President Muhammadu Buhari

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for assuring Nigerians especially herdsmen of government’s determination to provide adequate security to all citizens as contained in the Constitution.

The Coalition said this in a statement by its spokeman, Mr Abdu-Azeez Sulaiman in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Coalition and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Tuesday advised Fulani herdsmen residing in the Southern part of the country to return to the north If the safety of lives and properties are not guaranteed.

But the President in a statement urged the herders to disregard the directive, saying every Nigerian has right to live in any part of the country.

According to CNG spokesman, the Coalition wholeheartedly welcomes the assurance given by Mr President and his government to protect and guarantee the safety of all Nigerians anywhere they are including the threatened herdsmen in the South.

“We are even more encouraged by the heart-warming attempt made to assure Nigerians of government’s determination to provide adequate security to all citizens living in any part of the country as contained in the nation’s constitution.

“It is apparent that government’s initial silence throughout the recent weeks when various southern leaders and regional organizations were busy issuing incendiary threats and vituperations against the Fulani and Northerners living in the South smacked of discriminatory application of this important constitutional provision.

“We however find it even more inexplicable and disturbing that government kept mute and allowed this errant behaviour from some southern leaders and groups only for it to find its voice when threatened northerners were advised to consider returning home to safety,” he said.