President Muhammadu Buhari rejected suggestions to cancel a lavish dinner with members of his party at the State House on Sunday night, saying horrific massacres like the one witnessed on Sunday morning at a Catholic parish in Ondo occur every day in Nigeria across its diverse regions, according to one official who was directly involved in the discussion. Another official who heard that the discussion took place but did not participate directly offered corroboration to Peoples Gazette in the early hours of Monday. 

“Mr President was told that some party leaders are asking whether they should still come to the Villa for the scheduled dinner, but he said we should tell them to come,” the official said. “He said in Hausa and English that security agencies are overwhelmed by violent deaths from different regions of the country every day.” 

Aides said the president only felt obliged to issue a condolence message and give marching orders to security agencies in the hope that the suspects are promptly apprehended and charged. 

“He said if everything that needed to be done about press statement had been done, then protocols should remain activated for the event,” our source added. 

The second official, who belonged to another department and did not play a direct role in the dinner preparation, said he was told exactly the same. 

“There is no difference between what you’re asking me and what I was told when I got to the office and asked why the president left for the dinner,” the second official said. Both aides spoke under anonymity to avoid losing their positions at the Presidential Villa.

“No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness will never overcome light. Nigeria will eventually win,” the president said in a message.

Nigeria has in recent years witnessed a separatist crisis in the South-East, economic vandals in the South-South, armed bandits across the North-West and North-Central and Boko Haram insurgency along the northeastern flank.

The president’s view of the incident as narrated by his aides offers an insight that matches his posture towards similar assaults in the past. Moreover, the gesture shows Mr Buhari has all but given up on the country’s lousy security and his government’s ability to stunt its manifestation.

A spokesman for the president did not return a request seeking comments. Another media aide promised to get back to our reporters before 10:00 a.m. on Monday but never did even when given additional five hours to supply comments. 

No fewer than 50 Nigerians were killed when suspected herdsmen invaded St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. The community, a straight 50 kilometres east of the state capital Akure, immediately witnessed what security analysts have categorised as the deadliest massacre in its modern history. The town has long been affected by the armed herdsmen crisis, but it was usually restricted to abduction-for-ransom activities.

A state lawmaker told The Gazette the carnage, which has continued to generate condemnation from the Vatican and other parts of the world, was aimed at sending a message to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, whose policies have been deemed too restrictive of herdsmen in Ondo. 

Mr Buhari’s top aides have sparred with Mr Akeredolu since his adoption of a law against open grazing of livestock in Ondo. 

In January 2021, Mr Akeredolu proposed a coordinated dispersal of nomadic pastoralists from Ondo forests, a decision that irked the presidency. 

The Buhari regime said the governor’s action was unconstitutional and asked federal security and law enforcement agencies to resist its implementation. The governor fired back, calling the president “emotionally attached” to herders because they are predominantly members of his Fulani stock.

Residents said the state has seen more peace than chaos since August 2021 when the governor signed the state’s law against herders’ activities.  Before then, thousands of Nigerians lost their lives to violent criminals suspected to include mostly disgruntled herdsmen, kidnappers and bandits. 

The Sunday evening’s meeting, which came as mourning peaked over the massacre, also had Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President Ahmad Lawan in attendance. 

Unresolved issues leading to the party’s national convention were also discussed at the meeting, billed as a presidential dinner with the ruling APC’s advisory council, according to the State House’s account. 

Nigerians online have excoriated the president and his officials for holding the dinner, saying it shows their insensitivity. 

On Monday morning, Mr Osinbajo dashed for Owo on a condolence visit to the victims.