By Julius Alabi, Akure
Ondo State government has reacted to Federal Government’s response to the order issued by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for herdsmen to vacate the forest reserves in the state within seven days.
The Presidency, through the Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba said on Tuesday that Governor Akeredolu has no legal justification to ban the activities of the herdsmen in the state.
Reacting to this during an interview session on Channels television monitored by TheNiche, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, explained that the governor’s order was for the unregistered herdsmen grazing in the state.
“The Ondo State government did not ask Fulani to leave the state. The governor said herdsmen who are unregistered should leave our forests. The statement from Garba Shehu is a brazen display of emotional attachments and it is very inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria.
“We need clearly defined actions on the part of the Federal Government to decimate the erroneous impression that the inspiration of these criminal elements masquerading as herdsmen is that of power. Our unity is threatened, no doubt.
“Shehu’s statement states in a breath that the governor fights crime with passion while it is prevaricating on the atrocities. The question is, are the herdsmen who are perpetrating murder, kidnapping and robbery more important than government and even the Federal Government in this case?
“Ethnic nationality and activism on the part of anyone hiding under the Presidency or federal government is an ill wind,” he said.
Accusing Shehu of backing criminal elements masquerading as herdsmen, Ojogo said it was hard to believe President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed the statement by the presidency, challenging Shehu to explain why he has taken up the fight of criminal elements who masquerade as herdsmen.
Shehu, in a statement on Tuesday night, defended the right of the herders to dwell anywhere in the country, saying the governor cannot “unilaterally oust thousands of herders who have lived all their lives in the state on account of the infiltration of the forests by criminals.”
But Ojogo countered: “One thing is certain, President Muhammadu Buhari by his antecedents, by his nationalistic posture and by his patriotism that he is known for, may not have directed that statement. I am almost persuaded to think that Garba Shehu didn’t issue that statement because that would have been a very dangerous one for the unity of this country. I am waiting to confirm and if it is true, then, he may have miscommunicated properly to the people of Nigeria.”
Ojogo said if confirmed that Shehu made the statement, “It would mean that certain persons in the presidency, certain officials in the presidency are actually out to create a problem for President Muhammadu Buhari. We must appreciate the efforts of this president in his fight against insecurity across this country. Insecurity is becoming a national issue; no part of the country is insulated from the crisis.
“If Garba Shehu indeed issued that statement, then, he owes the people of this country a great deal of explanation to let people know why he must take up the fight of criminal elements.
“I do not believe by his pedigree that he might want to offer himself as the spokesperson for people masquerading as herdsmen and committing crimes.
“I don’t want to believe he has offered himself as the spokesperson for criminal elements who are operating under the guise of herdsmen.”
Ojogo explained that security agents have enough facts that victims of kidnappings in the state were being taken into the thick forest reserves by criminal elements who have infiltrated the ranks of the Fulani herdsmen who occupy portions of the forest reserves.
