Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The Ondo State Council of Obas has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution his aides who comment on the issue of security of the country.
The traditional rulers who reacted over the comments made by some aides of the President on the order of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu , ejecting the herdsmen from all the forest reserves in the state, said the order was not to chase out the Fulani ethnic group in the state but to save the state from the activities of the bandits and criminals .
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of meeting of the obas in Akure , the state capital, on Thursday.
The communique was read by a former chairman of the council and Olukare of Ikareland , Oba Akadiri Momoh.
According to the monarchs, the Fulanis, just like any other ethnic group in the country , are free to live and conduct their legitimate businesses anywhere in Ondo State .
The traditional rulers , who declared support for Governor Akeredolu’ s directive on herdsmen to vacate government reserves within seven days , said the herdsmen must respect the private property rights of the people.
The monarchs said , “ We are calling on President Buhari to show to the world that he is a father of all irrespective of ethnic affiliation as well as caution his aides to exercise restraints on issues that borders on insecurity in the country. ”
The obas in the communique urged “ the governors in the South – West region , the South -West caucus in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to use constitutional means to stop the rampaging criminals masquerading as herdsmen across the region . ”
They also condemned an alleged deliberate attempt by some persons to twist the “ governor ’ s clear directive in respect of government reserves that the Fulanis had been asked to leave our state. ”
“ It is to be noted that even the indigenes of Ondo State do not have a right to use the forest reserves without due authorisation, ” they stressed .
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