Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday expressed displeasure over the rumours making the rounds that President Muhammadu Buhari is in support of the Fulani herdsmen attacks in parts of the country.

Osinbajo spoke at the opening ceremony for the two-day summit on National Security organised by the Senate on the spate of killings by herdsmen and other crimes across the country. He noted that Buhari is deeply worried about the situation and is working assiduously with the national security agencies to put an end to the incessant attacks and insecurity across the country.

Worried by the multi-dimensional security challenges facing the nation, Osinbajo advocated for state policing infrastructure in addition to other security forces which he described as insufficient to address Nigeria security deficit so that out porous borders can be adequately manned.

‎He also implored Nigerians not to allow the Fulani-herdsmen crisis degenerate into ethnic/religious crisis that is could spell doom for the whole nation and also assured that the Executive is ready to work with the Legislature to find lasting solutions to the security challenges.

Earlier, Senate President Bukola Saraki in his opening remarks stated that the summit would help to achieve some consensus around what needs to be done, in the short term as well as in the long term, to bring comfort and relief to those affected, and assurances of security throughout the country.

He reminded participants that the country needs leadership that will work to douse the flames and reduce tension in the land, urging them to lower the barriers in their actions and rhetoric, and refrain from playing politics with a crisis situation in which Nigerian lives are being lost, tragically and needlessly, on a regular basis.

Saraki expressed hopes that the outcome wills feed into the search for a solution.

Other participants at the event which entered closed doors after the ceremony include all Senators, members of the House of Representatives, Ministers of Defence and Interior, Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, and other heads of security agencies.

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