The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement made available to journalists.
Shehu said the minister was expected to assess the situation and immediately report back to the President, who he said had condemned the massacre.
The presidential spokesperson added that Buhari had directed the nation’s security agencies to deploy operatives in the affected area and ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.
He restated the President’s commitment to ensuring that the spate of killings currently being experienced in parts of the country was brought to an end.
The statement read, “The President commiserates with families of the victims of the heinous and inhuman attacks on defenceless citizens which left many injured.
“President Buhari directs the Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (retd.), to proceed immediately to the state to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and report back.
“In addition, he directs security agencies to immediately mobilise and deploy their members to the vulnerable areas of the state, and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to face the full wrath of the law.
“The President assures the Zamfara State government, victims of the mayhem and residents in the state, that the Federal Government will continue to do all it takes to support security agencies to secure lives and property, not only in the affected state but in all parts of the country.
“President Buhari restates his administration’s determination to put an end to the spate of senseless spilling of innocent blood in parts of the country and calls for restraint to allow the nation’s security apparatus to stem the undesirable trend.
“The President prays that almighty God will receive the souls of the departed, and comfort their families.”
