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Unknown number of herdsmen on Friday night invaded Igbooro, Oja-Odan in the Yewa-North Local Government area of Ogun State, killing three and injuring two villagers.

The marauding herdsmen reportedly invaded the village, closed to Eggua in Oja-Odan around 11 pm on Friday, shot indiscriminately, and set ablaze three houses and storehouses in the village.

A mother and her child were among the three persons killed in their huts while two persons were said to be in critical conditions after they were shot by the herdsmen.

It was also learnt that many people, including children, sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The attack came barely 24 hours after five persons were killed in Owode Ketu, Ogun State.

Confirming the incident, Baale of Igbooro, Abidemi Akorede, said he had counted three corpses as of the time of speaking with our correspondent on Saturday morning.

Akorede said two villagers, a man, and a woman have been rushed to a nearby hospital after they sustained gunshots injuries.

The village head said, “Some Fulani herdsmen invaded our village last night. As they arrived, they set ablaze some houses and started shooting sporadically, they macheted a child to death where he hid.

“They hacked a mother and her child to death. I have counted three corpses, two have been rushed to the hospital, they are in critical condition after they were shot.

“They did not come with their cattle for grazing. They just stormed the village, killed people, and destroyed a lot of property.

“Three houses were set ablaze and one commercial bus. Silos were also burnt with the grains.”

When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident.

Rashidat Olowoniyi, the 30-year-old wife of a murdered farmer in the Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Dele Olwoniyi, has said she watched in disbelief as herdsmen macheted her husband to death, for challenging how their cows ate his cassava crops.

Peeping through the curtains inside a small hut at a farm settlement located at Oha village in the Imeko- Afon LGA, Rashidat recalled that she could not shout alongside her only child of a 10-year-old marriage so that the killer herdsmen would not harm her and her son.

Olowoniyi’s wife was said to have found him dead with machete cuts in his neck and other parts of his body.

Speaking with Punch, Rashidat claimed that the suspected herdsmen were 18 and stormed the farm at 12am with six motorcycles and started shooting indiscriminately.

She added that some of the killer herdsmen reportedly attacked her husband in his sleep and macheted him to death.

She said, “We had slept that day but my husband decided to sleep outside. My son and I slept inside the room. I was inside when they killed him. They first started shooting; it was the gunshots that woke me up. I opened the curtains slightly and I saw them. They came in six motorcycles and three people were on each motorcycle. I saw them leave after killing him.

“He was dragged on the floor. They beamed torchlight around to see someone else but I dodged behind the curtains. I watched as they took his phone, wallet tied to his waist and ransacked his pocket for money. They spoke Fulfulde. That is what made me know that they are Fulani.”

On what she felt could cause the attack, Rashidat said that her late husband had two months ago complained to the Fulani community after some cattle reportedly ate his farm crops. However, she said the Fulani community apologised to him, unknown to them that they planned to attack him later.

She added, “Cows ate the cassava on his farm awaiting harvesting. We were waiting for rain before harvesting so that we could plant new ones. That was the reason we didn’t harvest the cassava. The cattle ate the cassava we planted last. My husband was angry because of the development.

“He challenged the Fulani on why they allowed their cattle to eat his crops. He told them that his farm was not in the bush. They begged him and everything was settled. That was two months ago.”

The widow further said her husband’s killers were still using his mobile phone, appealing to security agencies to apprehend the culprits and bring them to book.

She said, “We want the culprits to be arrested. We want the government to help us. The deceased’s child is still young. There is nothing I want to use to train him. He is just six years old. My husband’s death is a tough one for me because his death caused me much pain. He didn’t enjoy the fruits of his labour. He had started the new planting season but they didn’t allow him to finish it.”

As part of the efforts to further strengthen the security outfit for optimum performance, the Ondo State Executive Council has approved the procurement of additional 20 operational vehicles for the state Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps.

Commissioner for information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo in a press briefing shortly after the State Executive Council meeting said the council noted with delight the efforts of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in stemming the rising spate of crime and insecurity in the state.

The government spokesperson disclosed that the state executive council, noting the immense efforts and fruitful activities of Amotekun, gladly approved the procurement of the 20 additional operational vehicles aside the approval for the recruitment of 500 personnel into the security outfit.

He said: ”The cabinet noted the efforts of the governor towards stemming the rising spate of crime and insecurity across the state.


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“Council noted the efforts of Amotekun. It noted with delight that Amotekun has made efforts and requires the support of the citizenry and residents of the state.

“We must support Amotekun in terms of intelligence gathering for them to operate maximally. The council noted with delight Amotekun’s activities and passed a vote of confidence and gave a pat on the back to Amotekun.”

While stressing that there will be no meaningful development without security of lives and property, Ogojo said the state government has also reinforced the ban on Okada beyond 6pm so as to further tighten the security in the state.


“The ban on OKADA is still in order. The cabinet decided that this ban should be reinforced. OKADA is mostly used to perpetrate crimes. The ban on movement of OKADA beyond 6pm is reinforced.”

The commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Sir Charles Titiloye said the state executive council has also approved a bill for the rearing and grazing of livestocks in the state.

Following an attack on operatives of the Oyo State Police Command and the state security network popularly known as Amotekun Corps on Friday by hoodlums, SaharaReporters has learnt that four Amotekun operatives were in intensive care after a clash with hoodlums in Ibadan.

The management of Amotekun in the state said the men were in intensive care in the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

A statement by the Media Management Department, Amotekun, Oyo State indicated that the violence that led the men to the hospital followed a distress call by Odeyale Community Landlords’ Association.

The statement said, "Operatives and police officers were attacked by hoodlums at Ona Ara Local Government of Oyo State.

"The incident was a follow-up to a distress call by Odeyale Community Landlords’ Association which called for help today from the two security outfits to help in dislodging hoodlums from their neighbourhood.

"The coordinator of Amotekun operations at Ona Ara, Mr Adelakun, said the hoodlums attacked them with machetes and axes. Four of the operatives were severely wounded and are in intensive care in the University College Hospital (UCH) where they are receiving treatment."

Ezeama400:
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Despite Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s vow to tackle the security challenges in the Ibarapa and Oke Ogun zone of the state, some farmers have again been sacked from their farms by suspected herders.

The governor last week said that, among other measures, additional 200 operatives of the Oyo State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps would be deployed to the region for forestall attack on residents. But on Friday, some farmers were attacked on their way to the farms by suspected herders in Igangan. Some farmers, who resided on farm settlements, were also sent out of their farmlands.

The Convener Igangan Development Advocates, Oladokun Oladiran, said many of the farm settlers have been sent packing. Oladiran appealed to the government to quickly ensure that the Amotekun deployed by the government put a stop to the forced eviction.

He said the herdsmen mounted a no-cross zone on farmlands, a signal to warn farm owners and farmers not to step on the farmlands or risk being killed.

Oladiran said: “There have been reprisals. I am telling you now that we are beginning to witness reprisals in Ibarapa. We want to urge the government to quickly instruct Amotekun Corps to the region.

“We are aware that they have been deployed ahead but they have not mounted a resistance against the attacking Fulanis who are very armed. They have not approached them either for peaceful talks or to resist them in any way.

“Today (Saturday) at Kajola axis of the farm settlement that belongs to people of Idere, Ayety, Tapa side, the Gaa Wakili Fulani dwellers, with heavy weapons were firing at farmers who tried to go their farms.

“They have mounted a no-cross zone. Every farm, every settler, has been sacked and sent packing. People who are staying on those farmlands are back in the town helpless. No food, but helpless.

“A boy and his brother escaped with gunshot wound because they were able to turn back quickly with their motorcycle when they observed the red flag mounted to indicate a no-cross zone by the herders.

“One of them was hit by the herders’ bullet. I, Oladokun Oladiran, went there to see the boy and his family spoke with them to confirm the report.

“I met my people at Gbangbagere village, who use to pound yam for us on the farm when we go to the farm, they have been sacked from their farm settlement and they are all back in town.

“Their settled area is not in town. Those farm settlements are like home and houses for them. Sometimes, they don’t come to town for a month, working on the farm and residing there but now, they are all back in town.

“I wonder how they will eat and feed their families because they could not pack anything from the farms but had to rush to leave everything when they started hearing gunshots on the farm.

“They have all moved their belongings, the Fulanis have chased them. We cry to the government, the Amotekun deployed, let them be ordered to quickly put this fire to a stop.”

Recounting how they escaped from the killed, one of the young farmers, who did not want his name mentioned, said: “We were going to the farm in the afternoon. We observed a red flag by the roadside and when we got there, my brother who is riding the motorcycle advised that we turn back but I said we should continue the journey to the farm.

“After passing by the red flag, we also observed heavy log by the road used as roadblocks and he the rider said we should turn the bike and head back home.

“But I had to alight from the bike so that he would be able to manoeuvre the bike and turn easily. So, the moment I stepped down from the bike, we just started hearing gunshots aimed at us from a distance. If we had moved another few miles before turning we would have fallen into their hands.

“We observed that those shooting and running after us were Bororo herders and were targeting us, to kill us. While trying to escape, I sustain gunshot at the back and sustained another injury in my head.”

In his account, the rider of the motorcycle, who also pleaded anonymity, said: “We just saw them coming out from both sides of the road of the Fulani settlement in Gaa Wakili.

“Despite shooting at us, they still gave us a hot chase with the determination to catch us but they could not.

“When we saw them and we wanted to start running, we fell, we stood up on the bike and they started chasing after us. My brother had alighted before we saw them and we started hearing gunshot before he could sit on the bike again, so in my trying to manoeuvre and trying to avoid being shot, we were falling off the sandy road.

“So, after I had gained some distances, I had to wait for my brother and that was how I was able to carry him and we escaped from being killed but, bullets had already hit him somewhere on his back.”

The father of the affected boys said: “As we speak, all of us here are from the villages in the Kajola axis. They were the ones that chased us all out of our farms and no one can go there again. We have stopped going to the farms for a while now.

“Our cashew, our cocoa, we dare not go there to harvest. Our village is precisely from Gbagbandere and we are now strangers on our land.

“They chased us from our farms and no one is on the farmlands again. They have taken possession of the farms and they have vowed that the person who will chase them away from that place must be ready for war.

“The leader of the herders in that axis is one Iskilu Waikiki who has been tormenting people in the area for a while. He is their father and had that place named after him.

“But, the name of the leader of those attacking farmers in the latest crisis is named one Abu. There has been no relationship between the Yorubas and Fulanis in that axis but they have been suspected kidnappers.

“Some people were arrested last year with arms, it was the Abu that led them but they were later released by the police. So, everyone had been avoiding any rapport or relationship with them in that axis until they grew in numbers and started sending people away.”

He said the intervention of Olori-ode (head hunter) who helped to extract the bullet before my son saved his life before it could cause more damage.

Also speaking on the situation, a resident of Ayete said the crisis began some days ago when a Fulani herdsman, Iskilu Wakili, was asked to leave the village because he did not buy the land he was occupying.

The demand was said to have infuriated the herder, who claimed he was a combatant with arms and ammunition.

The Asawo of Ayete, Oba Emmanuel Okeniyi, said those who have farms in the villages had fled the places over fear they might be attacked by Wakili.

The monarch said: “They asked him to leave the area. I don’t think he bought the land from anybody and the owners of the land asked him to leave. But rather than leaving, he has become a terror. The Fulani there usually destroy their farms.

“The farmers in the villages have fled their places; they are just loafing about now. Government has deployed Amotekun personnel in Ayete. They came yesterday (Friday) but I haven’t heard that they have gone to those villages.”

Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, said Wakil and his followers barricaded the road leading to the villages, adding that they threatened to shoot dead any villager who moved close to the place.

He said: “This started three days ago. The villagers had fled the place. The Amotekun personnel deployed by Oyo State Government are in Ayete, they have not gone to those villages. The police are not going there despite the several distress calls made to them.

“The hunters in the town are ready to face Wakili and his followers but they are afraid because they believe if they fight and kill him, the Federal Government will move against them. But the same Federal Government is not doing anything to ameliorate the plight of the people now. People believe fighting against herdsmen is like fighting against the Federal Government.

“One of the sons of Seriki Fulani who fled Igangan told me that Yoruba people should bring Sunday Igboho to face Wakili. He said he would finish him and his followers.”

Five Killed, Houses Burnt As Hoodlums Clash With Amotekun In Ibadan

Five youths who were keeping vigil in the Labiran area of Ibadan were shot dead during a clash between the operatives of the Oyo State Security network, codenamed Amotekun, and hoodlums on Friday evening, SaharaReporters has gathered.

Labiran has been troubled by some hoodlums in the last few days, necessitating youths to keep vigil to avert robbery.

On Thursday night, over 200 houses were razed while hoodlums killed a young man in the area.

One of the youths in the area, who simply identified himself as Wale, said following the burning and looting of properties in the area, elders in the community invited youth to stay awake to avert a recurrence.

"It is true; they killed four of our friends. Their families have taken them for burial this morning. Our fathers invited us to keep vigil. When we heard that those miscreants were coming, one of our brothers invited the operatives of Amotekun to help us.

"On arrival, they started shooting sporadically while hoodlums were also shooting. As a result, Monsuru, Ridwan and two other people were killed.

"They have taken their corpses for burial. Those hoodlums later came back to our area around 5 am. As we speak, they are burning houses again. Smoke is everywhere. Many have fled our area now. We need help," he said.

No fewer than 200 houses in the Labiran area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, were razed in a midnight attack on Friday.

SaharaReporters learnt that many residents have fled the area following the attack.

An eyewitness told SaharaReporters that the attack, which started around 11pm on Thursday night, lasted for over three hours.

Affected prominent family houses are Mogaji Akinsola's house, Oniroko Family house, Afunlayin Family house, Aderogba and Beyeruka family house.

The family head of Akinsola house, Mogaji Wale Oladoja, who confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters on the phone, threatened to avenge the attack on his family house if the government refused to act on time.

He said over 250 hoodlums invaded the area around 11pm on Thursday and set ablaze all the family properties in the area.

Oladoja said; "Those guys arrived in the area around 11pm. They burnt about 200 houses and destroyed 29 vehicles. I know it has a political undertone but let me warn the perpetrator that I won't take it easy with them. Why my family house?" he queried.

PHOTONEWS: Despite Prohibition, Fulani Herdsmen Seen On Thursday Grazing Openly With Their Cows In Ondo Community, Odigbo

*Says Amotekun must be allowed to function

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Aare Gani Adams, on Tuesday, expressed worry that some people in the South-West are colluding with Fulani herdsmen to commit crimes such as kidnappings and armed robbery in the region.

He also said that for insecurity to be eradicated from the region, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun must be allowed to function effectively.

Adams said this on a breakfast show on ARISE Television monitored by Vanguard.

Expressing worry that some bad elements in the South-West were collaborating with criminal herdsmen, the Yoruba leader said: “Some people pressured me to talk on the happenings in Ibarapa, Ondo State, and other areas in the South-West.

“But I am someone who does not dance to unnecessary pressure. Before I take any step, I make consultations. I realised that on the issue of insecurity, the South-West has been infiltrated by bad elements.

“The security threat we are having in the South-West now, our people (Yoruba) constituted about 25-30 percent of the security threat.

“When some Fulani herdsmen that were arrested around Ilesha by the OPC, vigilante and Amotekun were interrogated, we gathered that the person who prepared food for them is a Yoruba person.

“We also gathered that the person who provided information about the person to be kidnapped is a Yoruba person.

“It means we have to apply strategy to the security threat. Where is the problem coming from? Who are the evil ones among us?

“If you want to fight insecurity conventionally, the only way out is to support Amotekun.

“Amotekun should not be frustrated. With time, they will understand the terrain and know how to perfect it; but when we crucify them, it will affect Yorubaland.

“We are happy that Amotekun had been gazetted and signed into law by the South-West governors but I want to appeal to Yoruba people to allow the system to work.”

How Fulani seized our farms, raped our women, kidnapped and killed our people – Convener, Igangan Development Advocates, Oladokun

The Convener of the Igangan Development Advocates, Mr Oladiran Oladokun, who is also a farmer, tells OLUFEMI OLANIYI the genesis of the crisis in Igangan and other parts of Ibarapaland, Oyo State and suggests the way out of it

Can you trace the genesis of the herdsmen crisis in Igangan?

The crisis has been going on for years and what happened last week, I think, was a reaction to the agelong issues of oppression of the host community by the Fulani herdsmen. The Fulani way of life and the culture of dominating and oppressing their hosts caused the problem. They have committed a lot of atrocities against our people, I mean the indigenes of Igangan and even the entire Ibarapaland.

What are the atrocities?

They started with frequent plundering of farms. It became so bad that at least three or four cases of farm destruction would be reported at the police station everyday. The people are farmers and destroying their only means of livelihood is like killing them. This has been going on for more than 15 years and people became used to it.

At what point did kidnapping come in?

I think they realised that they could make huge money quickly with kidnapping and that was when they introduced kidnapping and armed robbery. Seriki Salihu Abdukadir has been fingered to be behind some wicked acts against the indigenes on many occasions. Anytime any offence was committed, the Seriki would be the one defending the arrested Fulani.

Offences like what?

Offences like farm plundering, rape, kidnapping and so on, Seriki would be the one defending the Fulani that were caught. He would be the one who would make sure that they were not prosecuted. He would throw his weight behind those arrested. Seriki and his sons were the ones accusing Amotekun of killing his people when they came to some settlements to fight kidnappers. That happened recently.

Are you saying he compromised the police to let the offenders go scot-free?

It may not be like that but he has influence. It may not be in the police in the state alone. I believe he has influence above (Abuja). What can a commissioner of police do if he or she is given an order by the superior? We don’t know who he is connected to but he has strong connection and influence.

You mentioned rape among the crimes allegedly committed by herdsmen. Was there any time this happened?

We have had many rape cases, but I cannot go on and be mentioning their names because it will reopen their wounds. There was a woman that was raped in Igangan by Fulani. There are cases of attack, killings and many atrocities being committed against the people. Those criminals are always shielded.

My brother, Sola Akintola was attacked on his farm by herdsmen. He went to his farm with labourers and they harvested cassava in large quantities. After they had loaded some pickup vans, he waited behind for the vehicles to come back and load the remaining. While he was there on the farm alone, the herdsmen came with a large number of cattle and he asked them to take their cattle to another part to feed them but they insisted that their animals would be fed with the cassava he harvested and was waiting to be transported to the market. Can you believe that? He resisted them and they attacked him. Their swords could not harm him so they started beating him with their rods and clubs until they battered the hand he was using to defend his head.

Why did he not report the case to the police?

He did. The police saw that he could die if he was not treated immediately so they wrote down his name and asked him to go to hospital. After that, the police came from the area command to arrest those who attacked him because he knows them. The police said they would arrest him on a particular date at Kara market, they came but could not arrest him. The case was attempted murder but they could not arrest the suspects.

How?

They came and he went with the policemen to where Konga, the master of those who attacked him was. The policemen could not arrest him because the Fulani came out with weapons. The policemen had to go back. If you are an indigene of the place and your brother narrowly survived such a vicious attack and nothing was done to the criminals, will that not discourage you from going to the farm? We have two Serikis: Seriki Ego who is the Seriki Bororo and Seriki Salihu. Bororo is just a sub-ethnic Fulani group, but there is nothing that happens among the Fulani that Seriki Salihu is not aware of. When our own farm was destroyed, it was Seriki’s son that came to defend the Fulani men that did it.

But why do you think he allegedly defends criminal herdsmen?

I think it’s against their culture to point out criminals among them or anyone that does anything wrong. Seriki has never done that. He has never condemned criminality among the Fulani. He will always defend them and this makes us to believe he knows about everything happening.

But Seriki said those perpetrating crimes were not his people. He said some people come from Zamfara State, Kebbi State and other areas. …

Wherever a Fulani man comes from, they are his brothers. The Fulani will come and attach themselves to those here. They won’t come and be living there without the knowledge of Seriki. Even if a Fulani man comes and acquires land from our people, Seriki will still be involved; so he cannot say the Fulani come from Zamfara and he doesn’t know them.

The Oyo State House of Assembly passed an anti-open grazing bill. Do you think this will stop the crisis when it is signed into law?

Yes, it will, but I don’t know why the governor has not signed it into law. The bill is still just like a proposal despite its passage by the lawmakers until the governor signs it and makes it a law. Whatever is delaying it should be quickly resolved and let it become operational. They should deploy security personnel to enforce the law and they should be well equipped for the job. After that anybody that violates the law should be arrested and prosecuted.

Is Igangan a border community?

It is not. But it has a very large amount of uncultivated forest and the Fulani migrate through the bush most times. If you know how to manoeuvre like them, you can get to the Benin Republic from the bush there. But if you go on the road, there are many communities you will get to within Nigeria.

Is there a mining site in Igangan?

I am not aware of any mining site in Igangan. But if there is, it could be an illegal mining site. If you are referring to what Seriki said, it is his way of shifting blame. He is very skilful at that but he can no longer fool us.

How did Sunday Igboho come to the scene?

I believe the atrocities being committed by the herdsmen got to him and he came. He came to find out and went to visit the traditional rulers and they told him that they were tired of the wickedness of these people and helpless. They asked for his help against the killing, raping, kidnapping and destruction of farms by Fulani people. It was a clarion call sent to Chief Sunday Igboho because the government failed to listen to us. He did not just go to visit Seriki, he asked for permission and he was given.

You accused the government of not listening to your people. Have you reported the problem in the area to the state government?

We have informed the government of the security problem several times. In 2019, I personally submitted a letter to the governor and I copied the speaker of the House of Assembly, and I also sent copies to the lawmaker from our constituency Hon. B.T. Ojedokun. That was in July 2019. Before the gruesome murder of Dr Fatai in December 2020, we took another step and submitted another letter to let the government know what is happening to our people. Some of those leaders believed that what we were saying was exaggerated and this showed in the broadcast by the governor. We staged a protest after Dr Aborode was killed.

Who killed Dr Aborode?

From reports from eyewitnesses including his manager and all what had happened before then, Fulani herdsmen killed him.

Why?

He owns a very large expanse of land which he used for agricultural purposes. The farm is very large and the Fulani are not comfortable with this. One thing the Fulani here hate most is seeing land owners cultivating their land. They would do everything to send you out. They want to drive out all farmers from their farms and that is why we have been crying out but our cry was not heeded. So seeing Dr Fatai Aborode owning such a large farm is a big headache to them. They know that such will motivate other indigenes to go back to cultivate their land but they detest this. It will shock you that as they are driving away our people from the land, they are taking over the land and cultivating it. But it is interesting that when they plant, a single cow will not stray to eat anything on their farm. So, you will now realise that the daily destruction of our farms is deliberate. They drive our people out by destroying their farms and attacking them and they are taking over. They plant and bring their produce to the market for us to buy.

So, the Fulani grow crops apart from breeding cattle?

They do. They produce crops in large quantities after driving away our people. If you have a farm near theirs, you won’t harvest it. Their cattle will destroy everything.

They are not indigenes of Igangan. How did they get land in the area?

Our people are hospitable like other Yoruba. They gave some of them a piece of land to just build their huts because we are hospitable but our hospitality is working against us now. Some who don’t cultivate their land inheritance would give it to the Fulani to use but they are regretting it now.

My father before he died could no longer go to the farm because of these Fulani people. Nobody could go and farm there and the land was left fallow for about 15 years before my brothers and I decided to go back to farming. The land is left uncultivated for a long time and the Fulani would start growing crops there. When they were challenged they would plead with you that they just needed a small portion of it to grow things to feed their families. After a while, they would make sure they did not allow you to return there again even if you want to start cultivating it.

At times, the Fulani would offer money to some people and they would buy land . That also happens.

The Miyetti Allah has said the country should be restructured and they would go their ways. Are you in support of this?

We welcome restructuring of Nigeria and we believe that will be a permanent solution to this crisis and some other problems. If Miyetti Allah is saying Fulani should go their way, it is will be good riddance to bad rubbish. We are hospitable in Yorubaland and it will surprise you that there are some Fulani that are still living with us in this town despite the Friday crisis. They move about without fear because those ones are not our problem but the Seriki and his followers.

The governors of Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Kebbi, and Jigawa states on Monday met with the national leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association at the International Culture and Events Centre in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, in his remarks, assured the herdsmen that they were not asked to leave Ondo State but to only get proper registration.

He added that the meeting was at the instance of the NGF and necessitated by the exigencies of the present challenges of insecurity in the country.

He noted that there was no eviction order given to the Fulani herdsmen in Ondo or any other state in the South-West.

“This is your home. You’ve lived here, married and done business with us. Nobody is going anywhere. The statement by the Ondo State Government had no eviction reference,” Fayemi was quoted as saying at the ongoing meeting.

According to Fayemi, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, only directed that all herdsmen should register for them to operate in the state forest reserves.

The NGF Chairman said ethnic profiling has to stop and all tribes in Nigeria are faced by the insecurity challenge.

Former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, and police authorities are also at the meeting, according to a source there.

Akeredolu had last week ordered herdsmen to vacate all forest reserves in the state within the next seven days, saying people masquerading as herders were using the forests to commit crimes

AlfaB:
No army needed in SW if mere stick carrying herdsmen can conquer them.

A former presidential candidate, Prof Pat Utomi, has said the incoming administration of US President-elect, Joe Biden, won’t support the regime of the Nigerian President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Monday, Utomi said former US President Barack Obama and his then-deputy, Biden, backed a regime change in Nigeria in 2015 but the change has not done the West African country any good.

“Obama was an extreme activist in seeking regime change in Nigeria because of the vast corruption and many of us supported the move but we later found out that the corruption did not change; Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was in the past.

“So, Biden will go back to a more liberal engagement with Nigeria but he is not going to be supportive of the incumbent (Buhari) the way Obama was because they can see that the incumbent fails to bring Nigeria together or move it forward, because they have now realised that Nigeria has become a more dangerous place to live,” the political economist said.