Massacre: Buhari sends defence minister to Zamfara

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday has ordered the Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (retd.), to Zamfara State for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Birane village, Zurmi Local Government Area of the state where some innocent persons were killed on Thursday.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists.

Shehu said the minister was expected to assess the situation and immediately report back to the President who he said condemned the massacre.

The presidential spokesman added that Buhari had directed the nation’s security agencies to deploy operatives in the affected area and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.

He restated the President’s commitment to ensuring that the spate of killings currently being experienced in parts of the country is brought to an end.

The statement read, “The President commiserates with families of victims of the heinous and inhuman attacks on defenceless citizens which left many injured.

“President Buhari directs the Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (retd.), to proceed immediately to the state to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and report back.

“In addition, he directs security agencies to immediately mobilise and deploy their members to the vulnerable areas of the state, and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to face the full wrath of the law.

“The President assures the Zamfara State government, victims of the mayhem and residents in the state, that the Federal Government will continue do all it takes to support security agencies to secure lives and property, not only in the affected state but all parts of the country.

“President Buhari restates his administration’s determination to put an end to the spate of senseless spilling of innocent blood in parts of the country, and calls for restraint to allow the nation’s security apparatus to stem the undesirable trend”.