Following the directive of the Ondo State government asking herdsmen to vacate the state's forest reserves, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has asked the Fulani not to leave the forest reserves, describing Akeredolu’s order as provocative.
The NEF Director (Publicity and Advocacy), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
The statement reads, “It has, however, become necessary to speak at this stage and offer advice before mischief makers capitalize on the issue to compound our existing challenges around security and co-existence.
“Governor Akeredolu is a senior lawyer who should know that the constitution does not give him the power to deny any Nigerian the right to live where he chooses if he does not break the law in the process.
“His duty to protect and improve the security of citizens and all people in Ondo State cannot be challenged. Indeed, all governors need more support to improve their responses to security challenges which citizens face. Nonetheless, no Nigerian has the power to take punitive action against citizens on political grounds.
“The forum urges the Fulani community in Ondo to stay where they are and continue to be law-abiding. They should collaborate with all legitimate authorities to police their communities against criminal elements, but they should resist moves to be labelled entirely as criminals.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government on Wednesday insisted that the Federal Government’s opposition to notice to quit would not change its position.
Speaking to one of our correspondents, Akeredolu’s Special Adviser on Security Matter, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said the government was serious about the issue.
In the same vein, the government also stated that the governor’s order was in the interest of the residents of the state, including the Fulani herdsmen.
It warned that the governor’s directive should not be misinterpreted to mean notice to quit for the Fulani that reside in the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo stated these on the Channels Television, programme, monitored on Wednesday.
Ojogo said, “Insecurity is a national issue and no part of the country is exempted. Now kidnapping and banditry are now becoming a pandemic so to say. If actually Garba Shehu issued the statement, then he owes the nation explanation to let people know why he must take up the fight of criminal elements. I do not believe that with his pedigree, he might want to offer himself as spokesperson for the people masquerading as herdsmen and committing crimes.
“Government did not say Fulani people should leave Ondo State. Some herdsmen have occupied the forest reserves and in this case, the forest reserves are different from the natural forests. Government has not come out to say that the Fulani should vacate all the forests in Ondo State. The focus here is the forest reserves.
“There are specific purposes that forest reserves have been earmarked for. There are thousands of hectares of land in the thick forest. Unfortunately, some of those criminal elements have gone to mingle with Fulani herdsmen who have occupied portions of these forest reserves and settlements. In any case, anytime victims are kidnapped, they take them into the depth of forest reserves, and security agencies have had enough evidence to show that victims are taken into the forests.
“So what government is trying to do is to clear the mess by a way of regulating the activities of herdsmen and not only Fulani people are herdsmen. The governor ( Akeredolu ) was explicit in his directive.”