From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, rising from a meeting with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and members of NGF, Monday, said the quit notice order given by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has been misinterpreted.
Fayemi, also the Governor of Ekiti said as against Akeredolu’s intention to eject unregistered herders from Ondo forest reserves, many had wrongly interpreted it as a quit notice that seeks to chase out all herders in the state.
He added that the Governor was only interested in registering herders operating in the state to get rid of criminal elements among them who have taken over forests in Ondo to perpetrate crime and criminality.
“The order of the Ondo State Governor was misconstrued and misrepresented by a section of the media. He only ordered those occupying the Forest Reserves in Ondo State illegally to quit,” Fayemi said.
The NGF Chairman said the meeting was organised to resolve the insecurity problems in the South West.
In addition, Fayemi added that, “Akeredolu didn’t talk about herdsmen vacating the state but about registration of herdsmen who want to operate within the reserves”
According to Fayemi, “Many members of MACBAN were born in the South-West. So, Akeredolu cannot ask Fulani to vacate Ondo State. The area concerned is the forest reserves and it is about registration and also to work in line with the law.
Furthermore, he said, “what we are after is the criminals, not Fulani herdsmen, criminals are criminals irrespective of their ethnic group.”
Some of the governors in attendance include Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, and Jigawa, and Kebbi states.
Recall The New Diplomat had earlier reported that the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu had on January 18, 2021 given a 7-day ultimatum to herders illegally operating in the forest reserves in the state to vacate over worsening security situation in Ondo.
The ultimatum has since generated divergent views among Nigerians as it ends Monday, 25 January.
