FG not doing enough on herders, farmers’ clashes – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has blamed the herders, farmers’ clashes across the country on what it called “inactions by the federal government.” The union, which said it had watched the development with “heavy hearts” like millions of others, urged government to act swiftly with a view to ending the crises.
National President of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, made the observations at a news conference yesterday in Abuja.
In a prepared speech titled, “State of the Nation: Time to End the Drift,” Ogunyemi declared that, “The federal government must take responsibility for failure to anticipate, manage and control the crisis.
Government’s handling of the issue has fallen far short of protecting certain constitutional provisions on fundamental human rights.
“In particular, the government has failed in enforcing Section 17 (2b) of the Nigerian Constitution which states that: “the sanctity of the human person shall be recognised and human dignity shall be maintained and enhanced.” Expressing the union’s angst over the wanton killings, the union leader said, “ASUU condemns unreservedly and unequivocally the unjustified and unjustifiable loss of lives and property arising from the unwarranted conflicts.
“Our hearts and thoughts go to families and victims of the senseless acts.
We condemn, in strong terms, those hiding behind the farmers and the pastoralists to incite the poor to mutual destruction.
The union also believed that the insincerity of the federal administrations in keeping with promises made to the people since the nation’s return to democratic rule in 1999 was responsible for the country’s current woes.
It further stated that “ASUU’s view is that restructuring should not be a game of legitimizing the power formula among Nigeria’s ruling class.

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