By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

Following criticism trailing President Muhammadu Buhari ‘s silence on the killings in southern Kaduna, the presidency said the President will not talk because Governor Nasir el-Rufai, , “is on top of the matter”.

Recall that over 50 people have lost their lives in some villages in southern Kaduna following attacks on the villages by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

In response to the situation, the Kaduna government had to impose a 24-hour curfew in Zangon- Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a local government areas .

LEADERSHIP recalls that after meeting with President Buhari last week at the presidential Villa,Governor el- Rufai said the President has given him unqualified support to stabilize the state and bring all those responsible for the violation of the laws to justice.

Speaking on Sunrise daily, a Channels TV programme, the special adviser media to the President, Femi Adesina said the governor who is the chief security officer of the state is meant to deal with issues like this.

Adesina said, “You don’t have to hear from the president on that matter. You see, when it pays us, we talk about federalism and true federalism, yet you want the president and presidency to talk about everything,”

“When things like this happen in a state, there is a chief security officer, he is supposed to be on top of the matter. Governor el-Rufai was at the villa on Thursday to brief the president, so why should the president then be talking about it?

“True federalism is the governor should be in charge and he is in charge of it.”

He further stated that state and local governments have a major role to play in dealing with herdsmen crisis.

“When these herdsmen attack happen, you need to see what the president is doing, always on the line with the governors and talking with them and getting updates,”

“And he has said it before – even former President Olusegun Obasanjo said it, this problem will be sorted out with the local governments and the states principally. The federal government has roles to play but not as much as the state and local governments, He stated.

Leadershipng