The presidency has warned Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, not to unilaterally order herdsmen out of Ondo forests. The governor had issued an ultimatum this week to herdsmen to vacate state forest reserves.
Presidential special assistant, Garba Shehu said the governor should not oust the herders whom he said have lived their entire lives in the state on the guise of clearing the forest reserves of criminals. He said terrorism and crimes should be separated from ethnicity, geographical origins and religion.
In response, governor Akeredolu says only unregistered Fulani herdsmen are being asked to vacate the state’s forest reserves.
State commissioner for information and orientation, Donald Ojogo, characterized Garba Shehu’s statement as “a brazen display of emotional attachment,” which he says is inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria.