The federal government of Nigeria has revealed why it cannot use military action against alleged killer Fulani herdsmen.
It revealed that this is because it believes the police are capable of dealing with the menace.
In an interview on Channels Television, the minister of Interior admitted that the military have been called to deal with Boko Haram in the north and militants in the south. He however said since the police have not been overwhelmed by the attack, it was best not deploy soldiers.
He said: “We must protect the country which is the main function of the police. The Civil Defence are there to complement them too.
“This is a non-military issue that borders on law and order. It is not every security issue that you call in the military. It is the responsibility of the police to maintain peace.
“I believe that if we put the police in proper position in terms of discharging its functions, then there would be no need for military option. The police are equal to the task. If you have to deploy the army, then you are going above board (sic).
“In any case, I do not even have the power to deploy the military for anything. It is only when the situation gets out of hand that you invite the military.”