Ondo State Council of Obas says President Muhammadu Buhari should call his aides to order on their comments security matters of the country.
The royal fathers, who stated this while reacting to comments by some aides of the President on the order of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu directing herdsmen to leave all forest reserves in the state within seven days, said the order was not to chase out the Fulani ethnic group in the state but to check the criminal activities of bandits and killer herdsmen.
The monarchs stated this in a communique issued at the end of their meeting in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday.
A former chairman of the council and Olukare of Ikareland, Oba Akadiri Momoh, read the communique.
The monarchs said that Fulani, just like any other ethnic group in the country, are free to live and conduct their legitimate business anywhere in Ondo State.
While declaring their support for Governor Akeredolu’s seven-day ultimatum to herdsmen to vacate government reserves, said the herders must respect the private property rights of the people.
The royal fathers 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 border on insecurity in the country.”
They also enjoined “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.”
The Obas also condemned an alleged deliberate attempt by some persons to twist the “governor’s clear directive in respect of government reserves that the Fulani 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.”