The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Fulani

  • The Coalition of Northern Groups call for a total boycott of Igbo buisneses in the North

     

    The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG has reacted to the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB’s ban on the consumption of ‘Fulani cows’ (beef) in South-East, calling for a total boycott of all businesses operated by the Igbo all over the North.

     

    CNG through its Spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said that IPOB’s order issued in a statement on Monday by one Emma Powerful, amounted to a grave provocation and serious threat to northern commercial interests in the South East and by extension, to the physical wellbeing of Northerners living as minorities among Igbo communities.

     

    In a renewed resolve to pay a coin for any direct or indirect attack or threat to Northerners and their interests anywhere in the country, the CNG called for the total boycott of all businesses, goods and services operated by Igbo in the North effective from the same April 2022.

     

    The CNG also called on northerners everywhere to decline support for any political party or formation or movement that has the active participation of South-East politicians.

     

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the North while maintaining its tradition of tolerance and accommodation, shall however no longer be disposed to condoning further acts of irresponsibility in the form of deliberate threats of intimidation or harassment targeted at Northerners living and doing legitimate businesses elsewhere in the country.

     

    “Since such targeted utterances have in the past been preludes to physical attacks on northerners and destruction of their properties in particularly the South East, we urge northern transporters and suppliers of goods to consider alternative trade routes to avoid the imminent risks that come with this IPOB threat.

     

    “We warm that the North has had enough of the antagonism from the South East and its attack dog, the IPOB and will no longer remain passive under such deliberate and sustained attacks and will henceforth be forced to react to every provocation and unwarranted abuse and violations.

     

    “All those who have no other useful vocation other than attacking northerners under the slightest of pretexts should know that our patience has reached its nadir.

     

    “The North’s reticence in speaking out or taking action is not born of fear or ignorance of how to respond in kind,” Suleiman said.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • Cattle Breeders Association Criticizes herders census in the country

    Cattle Breeders Association Criticizes herders census in the country

    An association of pastoralists, the Kulen Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, has criticised the proposed herders/livestock census in the country.

    The association, in a statement on Monday by its National President, Khalil Mohammed, said the proposed census agreed to by another group, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, was in bad light.

    Mohammed alleged that the MACBAN leadership initiated the herders/livestock census during a meeting with some southern governors in Akure, Ondo State.

    He stated, “Though we are not objecting to people’s freedom of speech/expression of their opinions in all matters of national interest as stipulated in our well cherished constitution and in the United Nation Charter of 1945, but as one of Nigeria’s pastoralist stakeholders, who are keenly interested in anything related to the nation’s pastoral occupation, we strongly oppose and reject in totality anything to do with isolationism or exclusive counting of any tribe in Nigeria through the herders/livestock census as opined by one of our sister association.

    “Our condemnation and strong objection to the said whimsical or myopic proposed counting has to do with the following tentative reasons: It is the first time in the history of Nigeria that a single tribe out of over 200 tribes initiates to be singly counted for a reason only known to itself; the herders will be cocooned and marooned in their fatherland by restricting their free movement in their struggle for survival in search of animal pasture and water points for their livestock.”

    Mohammed lamented that the proposed census negated the nation’s constitution, which stated that no tribe name would be mentioned during conduct of any census.

    He added that the counting and documentation of herders and their livestock at this time of serious unrest would make them to be seen as criminals in the eyes of other Nigerians.

    Mohammed, while stating that the outcome of the census would be disputed by everyone, said, “Above all, according to Nigeria’s rigid constitution, it is only the National Population Commission that is responsible for carrying out population census and not an individual group.

    “Likewise, it is only the Directorate of Animal Husbandry Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that is responsible for conducting census or estimation of the country’s livestock.”

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Northern leaders complain over alleged attack on fulani

     

    Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has lamented alleged attacks on Fulani herders in some states in the South East and South West, and appealed to President Muhammdu Buhari, State governors and the police to intervene.

    NEF, in a statement, yesterday, by its Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, warned against the profiling of Fulani as terrorists and kidnappers, explaining that not all of them indulge in such act.

    He said: “Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is deeply worried by reports of ejections under threats and attacks on Fulani herders, families and communities in some states of the South.

    “The Forum has been receiving these reports since the night of Sunday, January 31, and had taken the responsible step by drawing the attention of authorities to the dangers which these attacks represent for all Nigerians.

    “We have also advised law-abiding Fulani communities to seek protection where it is available, and have appealed to other Fulani to resist the temptation to take the law into their own hands.

    “It is necessary to warn people who threaten law-abiding Fulani communities in all parts of Nigeria, but, particularly, in some parts of the South, to desist.

    “The vast majority of Fulani are law-abiding and have rights to live lawfully wherever they can find means of subsistence.

    “Like all Nigerians who can be found in every inch of Nigeria, the rights of the Fulani will not be abridged by criminals hiding behind ethnic interests to exterminate them.

    “Citizens and groups who play the role of police and other law-enforcement agencies are committing crimes, and they must be stopped by leaders who are sworn to protect the law and security of all Nigerians.

    “The Forum reminds the nation that there are criminals in all ethnic groups, and the nation will be treading dangerous grounds if it continues to tolerate the demonisation of entire groups over particular types of crimes.

    “The Forum calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and State governors to take immediate and decisive steps to protect law-abiding members of Fulani communities from killers and criminals who apparently believe that Fulani have no rights in Nigeria.

    “It demands the immediate arrest and prosecution of persons who are attacking Fulani and setting the country on a very dangerous path.

    “The Forum repeats its earlier position that the Fulani will not be ejected from any Nigerian community only on the basis of being Fulani or herding cattle within the limits of laws and regulations.

    “States which seek to limit criminal activities are perfectly entitled to do so, but they must follow due process and avoid exposing innocent citizens to danger at all costs.

    “The Forum demands that the Nigeria Police must live up to its constitutional responsibility to detect crimes and arrest and prosecute criminals, whoever they are…”

    Reacting, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere Renewal Group and Middle Belt Forum have berated the Northern Elders Forum and accused the group of being economical with the truth on allegations that herders in the South were being attacked.

    Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin and President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, in separate telephone interviews with Daily Sun, urged the NEF to urge President Buhari to implement uniform policies on cattle ranching rather than whipping up sentiments.

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Herdsmen wreaking havoc, leaving a trail of destruction on their way out of Ondo

     

     

    Ayede Ogbese is one of the communities in Ondo State , where Fulani herdsmen are wreaking havoc.  In this interview with PETER DADA,  Chief Oladimeji Abitogun,  the Odopetu of Ayede Ogbese   in the Akure North Local Government Area, speaks about the spate of insecurity in the state and Nigeria as a whole

     

    In recent times, the kidnappings that have occurred along Akure-Owo Expressway between Ayede Ogbese and Uso communities are alarming. As a traditional chief, why do you think this is happening in your domain?

     

    The fact of the matter is that at a point between the Ogbese River; which is our patrimony and very important to the people of Ayede-Ogbese; between that point and the community of Uso, you would understand that there are linguistic, geographical and cultural affinities between the people of Ayede-Ogbese and Uso. That certain area known as Oke-Odo, Kajola in Uso is where you would find these activities of Fulani militias who are armed to the teeth and ready to kill. They come to the highway,  a major highway linking South-West with the northern part of the country and the South-South as well as the eastern part of Nigeria. So, they use that strategic location to stage their dastardly often murderous kidnappings. Until recently, we didn’t even know that some of them had taken refuge in our community.

     

    So, the description that our community has become a place of refuge to these people may not be totally correct. The political correctness and the constitution of this county would say all of us can live together, but you’ll find the Fulani from their historical antecedent often displaying this tendency to f invade different tribes of Nigeria, if need be, take over the leadership, kill and ultimately install themselves as a kind of caliphate and seize the instrument of governance. The most visible will be the case of Ilorin.

     

    Even as I’m talking to you, in Southern Kaduna, these people have sacked indigenes and installed themselves as overlords in more than 147 towns and villages. That is not going to happen here.

    You said what they were trying to do is not going to happen here. What are those things they are trying to do?

     

    I’m not just the third ranking chief in Ayede-Ogbese kingdom, professionally, I’m a journalist. Words matters to us. Beyond that, I have a degree in English, Literary and Curriculum Studies. What they are trying to do is so clear to everybody. You know that from the intelligence available to the leadership of our kingdom. These people will come, pretend they have a genuine agenda of integrating with the people in the community and they are armless. But if I start to count on the tip of my fingers, you’ll understand that even when they say they are coming for simple things like basic health facilities, you’ll see under their clothes dagger and swords sheathed. For what purpose is that? Sometimes, we get so proactive. We begin to collect those swords from them. You can’t be bringing things like that into medical facilities.

     

    Sometimes they enter our markets with swords under their clothes. Of course, we have a very big cosmopolitan market in our community. The market is patronized from the entire West Africa sub-region, and then somebody comes into that market carrying  a sword. To do what? That is the one that is so visible. The one we also know is that under the animals they rear, they wrap AK-47 . You would think it’s their personal wears and foodstuff .

     

    We are aware from what some of the freed hostages told us that when they collect that ransom, they don’t even know the denomination. That means they are illiterate. Some of them do not even speak the Nigerian variant of Fulfude, which is the language of the Fulani people. If you want to start a conversation with them in simple English, they don’t even understand because they speak French.

     

    They believe in the unity of the Fulani nation across wherever they exist in Africa. So, they think they’re coming here to give consolidation to interest that are not clear, to struggles that are not known to anybody and to individuals not completely loyal to the Nigeria nation.

     

    In your submission, you believe that they are not Nigerians. How did you say they were consolidating an interest in Nigeria?

     

    It’s not difficult to know. For example, the people and the government of Ondo State took a fundamental position; something that is backed by the constitution; that these people cannot continue to illegally occupy Government Forest Reserves. The herders themselves did not speak. A voice echoed from the seat of power in Abuja. Isn’t that enough indication that they think you’re hurting one of their own out there. Peace loving Nigerians actually voted whoever that is leading this country today. These people that they are defending;  I’m sure they never even voted. While the rest of us were in the queue exercising our franchise as free citizens of Nigeria, remember that these people were plotting how to kill the majority of us, how to prevent us from exercising our voting rights. And then, we defied  all of these to put the government in power. Only for the certain operatives of the  government to start using the instrument of state to defend lawlessness.

     

    Few days ago, there was a meeting where everybody agreed with what Governor Akeredolu has done by giving that four-point order. Even the representatives of the MACBAN supported it. Do you see sincerity in their purported support?

     

    Honestly, I don’t. The preliminary comments made by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, was almost going to scape-goat the media, saying the intent and purpose of what Governor Akeredolu said was misconstrued in the media. Which media? You don’t know that when you take on the media as a major institution like that anywhere in the world, you’re really trying to bring the nation itself down. Honestly, people tend to see governance and democracy as event. Governor Fayemi is in a position to know better. He was a practising journalist at a time as well as an agitator and a pro-democracy activist. I give that to him.

     

    From the look of things and with what Miyetti Allah said, the position of Governor Akeredolu is unassailable.  The bad eggs should be fished out and their members in the forest should get government permission. What they are not telling the world which we now know is that the Bororo, the cattle Fulanis,  do not even interact.

     

    They don’t have respect for the liberated Fulanis. So, for all we can care, everything that transpired at the meeting, the Fulani ethnic militia operate by an agenda that is uttered and directed and anchored by the devil. The other people, decent as they are, may not be able to speak to the minds, agenda and actions of the violent Fulani.

     

    And guess what, since the expiration of the seven days ultimatum given by the government of Ondo State, what have they been doing in the forests? Yes, they are leaving the forest reserves, but on their paths, they’re leaving on their trail blood, destruction, sorrow, tears.

     

    Coming out in a huge exodus and destroying everything they see on the way. They are not just using AK-47.

     

    As a traditional chief who is close to the people, what do you think can be done to flush the criminal herders out of your domain?

     

    Honestly, I’ve a confession, if you ask me about what can be done, I look at  a the solution that was applied in a place like Ijare Community ( where lightening killed 36 cows)  No matter how crazy the Fulani ethnic militias today, he will not venture into Ijare. Secondly, I look at the Sunday Igboho , maybe it’s a matter of boldness and courage but it takes the extraordinary for somebody to disarm a Fulani militia firing AK-47. That kind of boldness in Sunday Igboho is something that has to be replicated.

     

    You are commending Igboho for the steps he took, but some people are crucifying him for doing that. What is your take?

     

    Who are the ones saying that? I’ve not heard that. On the contrary, people are misinterpreting the initial silence of a section of the leadership of the South-West. For example, they said Iba Gani Adams did not speak so early as the Aare Ona Kakanfo but as a traditional generalisimo, he said he was studying the situation and looking at the intelligence behind it all. And fundamentally, he has no disagreement with Sunday Igboho.

     

    You said you are close to some victims of herdsmen attacks in your axis and some of them narrated that their abductors took them to the bush and they were hearing people talking,  but people of the community are the owners of the land, can’t the obas do something against all trespassers?

     

    My brother, do you know one thing, do not let us deceive ourselves. What the indigenous individuals who have run this nation in succession after the exit of British colonialists, what they have done is to pursue extreme radical agenda against the traditional royalty in this country. They’ve emasculated our traditional institutions.

     

    From the revelations of victims, they said these bandits have links with some people in the town who act as spies?

     

    That may not be completely false. There must be people who tell them that their targets have big pockets.

     

    Can’t the community investigate  and take the necessary action?

     

    Community do investigate but we don’t have the power to arrest. So, what do we do? We provided reasonable intelligence to the police or the NSCDC command and again you are at their mercy.  Let me give you this narrative, it will interest you, the late Alayede of Ayede-Ogbese, Oba Isaac Oluyele decided to install someone as the Seriki Hausawa. While that ceremony was on, Chief Olu Falae, a prominent Nigerian politician was in attendance to honour that occasion. A loser in the contest, one individual called Mustapha who happened to be a so- called organizer and youth leader in the Hausa community for the ruling APC, decided to bring almajiris. They invaded the palace ground where the ceremony was going on. They started pulling down canopies, throwing chairs. So, in the wisdom of Alayede-in-Council, a decision was reached that, that kind of impunity could not be allowed.

     

    Going back to the issues of the freed victims, I will cite the example  for example, Olatubosun Johnson, the son of Aro of Uso. His father is the third in royal hierarchy of Uso land. When he was kidnapped, they took him for two days just because he was blindfolded, they were taking him around the same locality, beating and torturing him. When eventually they released the hood on his face, he was able to recognised one community in the locality. That’s was how, he knew he was around, Ayede-Ogbese.

     

    Look at the case of Boniface, an employee of Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State who was kidnapped on Sunday and released on Thursday. He was taken around the same spot Olatubosun Johnson was kidnapped and he was released around Bolohunduro and Eleyowo. What are they doing all this kind of stupid stuff for.

     

    What do you think can be done about this issue?

     

    Somebody must be held accountable for the broken chain; the link that is broken in the hierarchy of command, whether in the military or the police. Whoever is weakening that strong link that must be effective in terms of law enforcement,  whoever that is sending that wrong signal that these people enjoy the protection of the Presidency or in the police command;  that person must be identified.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

     

  • Ohanaeze, middle belt and the nation supports kano state governor’s call to FG to ban Open grazing

    Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

     

    Nigerians have hailed the call by Kano State Governor, Abdullai Ganduje, for the Federal Government to ban the movement of cattle from the North to South, in order to end the frequent clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers across the country and curb cattle rustling.

    Governor Ganduje made the call when he and other governors elected on the platform of the ruling Alł Progressives Congress (APC) had a special lunch with President Muhammadu Buhari in his private residence, at the weekend, in Daura, Katsina state.

    The Kano governor, who made the disclosure while addressing newsmen called on the federal government to enact a law banning the movement of cattle from the north to other parts of the country.

    While responding to questions on how far he had gone with RUGA project in his state, Ganduje said: “We are building a RUGA settlement in Samsosua forest, our border with Katsina, and we have succeeded in curtailing the effect of banditry in that area. So, we are building many houses, we are constructing a dam, establishing a cattle artificial insemination centre, a veterinary clinic and, already, we have started building houses for herdsmen.

    “My advocacy is that we should abolish the transportation or trekking of herdsmen from the northern part of Nigeria to the middle belt and to the southern part of Nigeria. There should be a law that will ban cattle movement, otherwise, we cannot control the conflicts between herdsmen and farmers and the cattle rustling which is affecting us greatly.”

    Former presidential candidate, Dr Yunusa Tanko and Chairman of the Arewa Youth Consultative Assembly, Mallam Yerima Shettima, who spoke to Daily Sun hailed governor Ganduje’s suggestion as a welcome idea, stressing that the frequent clashes between the cattle herders and farmers not only portrays the North in a bad light, but also threatening the peaceful coexistence of the country.

    They both called on cattle owners and their herders to embrace modern ranching as the best option of grazing their cattle.

    Tanko said: “The idea of cattle straying into farms and destroying people’s crops is not acceptable, that has brought for us in the North wrongly or rightly, a level of unacceptable accolade from our brothers in the South. The North has enough land mass that can take care of the cattle if only we can build ranches and take care of the cattle. Most of the cattle are owned by the elite, not the herders you see on the road. If the elite have invested that much in the cattle business, they should be able to build ranches for their cattle.”

    For Shettima, the continued movement of herders and destruction of farmlands and crops has continued to threaten the peace of the country.

    “The fact of the matter is that we can’t continue over and over to gloss over the surface of an injury without addressing the source of the injury. If there is to be a solution, let us go back to modern ranches, the world is a global village, we can rear cattle without causing harm to anybody or encroaching into anybody’s territory and without these attacks and counter-attacks. I agree with governor Ganduje that such law should be passed, so that we put an end to the incessant farmers and herders clashes.”

     

    Ganduje’s call vindicates our push for anti-open grazing law-ADF

    For the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), the call by governor Ganduje has vindicated its persistent push for states in the South East to make laws on anti-open grazing of cattle.

    ADF’s spokesman, Abia Onyike, yesterday, declared that continued open grazing of cattle is a recipe for crisis in Nigeria.

    “The Federal Government should listen to governor Ganduje’s advice to reduce the growing tension generated by Fulani herdsmen in southern Nigeria. If the tension is not checked, a civil war may become inevitable in Nigeria,” ADF warned.

     

     

     

    Herdsmen must respect laws of Southern states –Afenifere

    Spokesman of Pan Yoruba Cultural Organisation, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said that cattle rearing is private business and any herder who wants to rear cattle in any southern state must obey the laws governing that state.

    “If Ganduje thinks that not bringing cows to the South would unsettle us, he is making a mistake. They are not giving the cows free of charge, they are doing business and he should know that many people in the South are already raising cows. They should not think that because they are bringing their cows, they should be killing our people; we are beyond that,” Odumakin said.

     

    They should buy land for ranches –Middle Belt Forum

    In his own reaction, President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said: “The statement that Ganduje made is neither here nor there, and when the policy of ranching, which we have been suggesting as the best practice of animal husbandry around the world, is implemented, the movement would not be there.

    “When you find people armed in their numbers coming to sack communities, then after that, cattle rearers will come and occupy the land. So it goes beyond the narrative they have been deceiving us with. The killers have to be flushed out of the country.

    “What the governor said is based on sentiments rather than solution. He is trying to divide the country by that statement. He is saying Fulani should be in the north; which part of the north?” Pogu asked.

     

    Ganduje’s position confirms southeast govs betrayed their people-ASETU

    Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU) said governor Ganduje’s call for nomadic herding was somewhat belated though commendable.

    National President of ASETU, Chief Emeka Diwe, said that “It is a “good morning” at afternoon.”

    “But the shame, however, is that the South East governors who we have severally written on this matter have remained adamant. What the Fulani herdsmen have done to our farmers in the bushes is second only to the genocide of the civil war. Yet our governors are silent. This is an act of betrayal!”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Sharia council urges Governors to create ranches before banning open grazing

     

    The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria on Thursday urged the South-West governors to consider the creation of ranches before banning open grazing.

     

    The group also said asking Fulani herdsmen to stop grazing their animal without providing alternative in ranches would be disastrous.

     

    Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the Vice President of the group, Sheikh Abdur’rasheed Hadiyatullahi, also said profiling all Fulani as criminals would be unfair to the decent ones among the tribe.

     

    He said, “If you ban open grazing and you don’t create ranch, it is going to be disastrous. You can say animals should not be moving around and destroying crops, but give then ranches.

     

    “Let them settle down and do their business. Ban open grazing and provide ranches. Akeredolu has not told Fulani herdsmen to leave. He only asked them to vacate forest reserve. But let the governors create ranch for the herders.”

     

    On eviction of some Fulani herders from Igangan, Oyo state, Hadiyatullahi said, “To a find way out of these herdsmen, host community conflicts, we call for dialogue and wider consultation. The Igangan incident must be condemned by all lovers of peace. But at the same time, we cannot close our eyes to the pain and suffering of farmers and indigenes of the area who criminals see as soft targets for kidnapping, armed robbery.”

     

    ‘Cattle rearing’s private business’

    Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Mr Akin Omole, said on Thursday that those in the business of cattle rearing in the state were at liberty to create their cattle ranches.

     

    Omole, who said cattle rearing was the private business of individuals, said, “If government wants to support farming, be it crop production or those in the field of animal production, the government will determine the way and manner it wants to go about it.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Farmers in Ondo state cries out over alleged invasion of their farms by some herdsmen

     

     

    Some farmers in Obasooto community in the Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State on Thursday cried out over the alleged invasion of their farms by some herdsmen.

     

    The incident happened three days after the national leadership of  Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria  agreed to the terms of the Ondo State Government to stop night grazing,   open grazing ,as well as movement of cattle within cities and highways in the state.

     

     

    The affected farmers said they arrived at their farms and saw the havoc wreaked on their farms by the herders during the night.

     

    They lamented that millions of naira invested on the farms had gone in one night due to the attack of the herdsmen.

     

    One of the farmers, Mr Friday Ayaghi, alleged that his cassava plantation were eaten up and destroyed by the cows of the herders.

     

    Ayaghi lamented that feeding his family would become a challenge following the destruction of the farm. He said he planned to use the proceeds of the destroyed cassava to pay his children’s school fees.

     

     

    Another victim, Pa Olatuja Idowu, said the herders allegedly destroyed his cassava, pineapples and cocoyam plantations which belonged to him and his wife.

     

    The physically challenged octogenarian said, “The herdsmen first attacked my wife’s farm about 10 days ago and came back again to destroy my own farm and the rest of my wife’s farm.”

     

    Another farmer in the village, Mrs Sarah Akingbesote, lamented that over 600 heaps of cocoyam were eaten up by the cows which were led into her farm by the herdsmen.

     

     

     

     

    In a reaction,  the Commander of Amotekun in the state, Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed the incident said operatives of the corps had been deployed in the affected farms to ascertain the level of the destruction as well as quantify the damage done.

     

    Adeleye also stated that the state chairman of MACBAN had been invited towards identifying and arresting the herders that perpetrated the act.

     

    The state chairman of MACBAN Alhaji Garba Bello, said those herders that destroyed the farms would pay for whatever they destroyed.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • SANs, Senior lawyers and politicians disagree with Buhari over fulani herdsmen forest reserve in Ondo State

    Three senior lawyers and groups, including Afenifere and the Yoruba Council of Elders, on Wednesday, criticised the Presidency over its stand on the Ondo State Government’s ultimatum to herdsmen in the state’s forest reserves.

    But the Northern Elders’ Forum directed the Fulani herdsmen to disregard the notice to quit forest reserves in the state.

    Also on Wednesday, the Ondo State Government said it did not tell herdsmen to leave the state or its forests, but forest reserves, which had become hideouts of kidnappers.

    Recall that the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, had on Monday ordered herdsmen to leave the state’s forest reserves within seven days.

     

    The Presidency, in a statement by the President’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, faulted the governor, saying he should not act outside his constitutional powers.

     

    In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, the Secretary General of the YCE, Dr Kunle Olajide, described as unconstitutional, the reaction of the Presidency.

    Olajide said, “Any Nigerian is free to live in any part of the country in as much as he lives in peace with the people without engaging in violence or constituting a threat to the survival and wellbeing of others. But how do you explain a situation where you get to a place and engage in crime and criminality, killing and maiming of innocent people and plundering their farmlands and the likes?

     

    FG shunned S’West govs’ alarm on herdsmen’s attacks – YCE

    Commending Akeredolu, he stated, “The Presidency has turned a deaf ear to the calls of the people and governors of the South-West for protection from these herders in the last five years.

     

    “The herders in Yoruba land are Fulani. Therefore the issue of ethnicising crime does not arise.  The Federal Government ought to do the needful by calling  security officers to act and enforce orders issued by the lawful authority in the state.”

     

    Buhari shows no pretence representing Fulani – Afenifere

    The pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere,  in a statement titled, ‘Ondo Forests: Fulani Presidency Again,’ issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin,  said the Muhammadu Buhari regime had again shown its non-pretence as representing the Fulani interests above other tribes in the country.

     

    Afenifere stated, “The intervention by what we mistakenly call the Federal Government of Nigeria on behalf of marauding Fulani in Ondo State against the lawful government in that state did not come to Afenifere as a surprise as it is in line with the non-pretence by this regime that it represents only the Fulani interests against those of Yoruba, Igbo, Junkun, Ijaw and other tribes in Nigeria.

    “That the Federal Government and its minion, Garba Shehu, could only hear Ondo State when Governor Akeredolu was very loud and clear about herders to vacate forest reserves in the state is symptomatic that this government has a serious problem with heating the rest of us when the issue involves its anointed Fulani.

     

    “The Fulani criminals have caused untold hardships in Ondo State and other Yoruba towns and cities in recent time and only an irresponsible government that wants to behave like our Federal Government will continue to fold its arms.

     

    “What has this government done to assure our people that it can protect our lives with the open murders of Mrs Funke Olakunri, the Olufon of Ifon and the Deputy Registrar of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, among many others?”

     

    On its part, the Coalition of Oduduwa Elders, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Dr. Tunde Aremu and National Secretary, Folake Ajasin, supported the quit notice given by the governor to Fulani herdsmen to leave forest reserves.

    Presidency doesn’t know meaning of forest reserves – Gani Adams

    Also, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, said Akeredolu had constitutional rights to give a notice to quit to illegal residents in the forest reserves.

    In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, Adams said the Presidency had failed to address the security situation across the country.

    He stated, “Garba Shehu/Presidency apparently doesn’t know the meaning of forest reserves. It’s not accessible except to authorised personnel/loggers. Apart from the place being a place for valued cash trees, it also means a haven of safety for protected animals against poachers. The herdsmen living in the forests are not only unauthorised, they also would likely cut down trees to make fires and must also kill animals for food.”

     

    Also farmers in Ondo State supported the governor and asked him to back up his ultimatum with a law.

    The Chairman of the Ondo State Agricultural Commodities’ Association,  Mr Gbenga Obaweya, in an interview with The PUNCH,  urged the governor to sponsor a  grazing bill at the state House of Assembly to tackle the security challenges in the state.

     

    Don’t politicise security, SAN tells FG

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tayo Oyetibo, in an interview with The PU NCH said Akeredolu had the right to ask herdsmen to leave the state government forest reserves, urging the Presidency not to politicise the matter.

    He said, “As the chief security officer of the state, the state governor has the power to say that those that are occupying the forest should come and register although I would have expected that law should have been passed to that effect to control the movement of people in the forest.

     

    “I think the Presidency is misunderstanding the governor, everybody in Nigeria should support the safety of anybody living in any part of Nigeria. So if those living in the forest are committing crimes, government, whether federal or state, should see to the discovery of those that are behind the crimes. This I think is the motive of the governor of Ondo State and I don’t think that issue should be politicised at all.

    “They (the FG) should meet with the state governor and see what is happening in Ondo State to nip it in the bud before it’s a mess.  I don’t think it’s a matter for politics at all.”

     

    Akeredolu acting within his powers – Yusuf Ali

    Similarly, another senior advocate, Yusuf Ali, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said the state governor had the right to determine whatever he wishes on the land in the state.

    He said, “Any land within each state of the federation is given in trust of the governor for the citizens of the state, so technically speaking, it means the land in the state belongs to the governor and somebody who owns something has a right to determine the use of that thing.

     

    “If truly the Land Use Act had vested all the lands in the state to the state government then the governor has the right to determine how the land would be used, who may have access, who may not have access.”

    Another SAN, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, also faulted the Presidency.

    In an interview with The source, the senior advocate said the Presidency misinterpreted sections of the constitution.

    Adegboruwa said, “I salute the courage of the governor. He displayed rare statesmanship and courage. I think it is a lesson for all governors to take hold of their territories and safeguard the lives and property of people.

    But another SAN, Mike Ozekhome, in his position, stated, “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered) provides the right to freedom of movement throughout Nigeria of a citizen, and to reside in any part thereof. Section 41 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in very clear and precise words, provides as follows:

    “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit therefrom.”

    According to him, the Presidency has every right to call the governor of Ondo State to order.

    Order not notice to quit, we only asked herdsmen to leave forest reserves, not forests – Ondo

    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 saidInsecurity 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.”

     

    Disregard Akeredolu’s order, NEF tells herdsmen

    But the NEF  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 Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said that no individual or group has the right to initiate forceful eviction of the Fulani from the state.

     

    Makinde gave the warning in a statewide broadcast on Wednesday in reaction to the ultimatum that was given a popular businessman and activist from Oke Ogun axis of the state.

    The governor while reiterating his determination to uphold the nation’s constitution, said the common enemies of the people were not the Hausa/Fulani, but the hoodlums, cultists, armed robbers, kidnappers and bandits.

    Makinde said, “We cannot overlook the fact that there had indeed been instances that caused concern. The fragile peace between the herdsmen and farmers in Oke Ogun is being threatened. Individuals who are not authorised are going around chasing people from their homes and causing mayhem. This assault on residents of Oyo State is not the way to further the Yoruba cause.”

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com