Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, said the Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has the rights under the Nigerian constitution to order quit notice ultimatum to illegal residents in the state's reserved forests, saying it is the duty of the governor as the chief security officer of the state to protect the lives and property of residents in the state.
Akeredolu had, on
Monday, gave a seven-day ultimatum to herders to vacate the forests in the
state following the growing insecurity allegedly perpetrated by the
pastoralists.
But in a swift
reaction, the presidency, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to
President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, maintained that asking the
herders to vacate the reserved forests could set off a chain of events which
the constitution anticipated and tried to guard against.
He said there is
little to be said other than to call for restraint on both sides and urge the state
government and the leadership of the Fulani communities to continue their dialogue for a good understanding that will bring to an urgent
end, the nightmarish security challenges facing the state.
But in a statement
by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, Aare Adams said the
presidency had failed to address the security situation across the country.
The Yoruba leader
described Garba Shehu's statement as a threat to the sanctity of the state, and a deliberate attempt
to work against the state government's interest, especially, on issue of
security.
Aare Gani Adams
said though the reserved forests are some of the heritages of the federal
government they are under the jurisdiction of the state government .
"Garba
Shehu/Presidency apparently doesn’t know the meaning of a reserved forests.
It’s not accessible except to authorized personnel/loggers. Apart from the
place being a place for valued cash trees, it’s also meant as a haven of safety
for protected animals against poachers. The herdsmen living in the forest are
not only unauthorized, they would likely cut down trees to make fires and must
also kill animals for food".
"A reserved
forest is not a place of residence for anyone, not even Ondo indigenes or
farmers. It is most unfortunate that such a statement is coming directly from
the presidency, who according to the constitution, has the prerogative to
protect the lives and property of citizens in the country now looking for ways
to foil the good plans and intentions of the state government to get rid of the
bad elements that are masquerading as herders and pastorist in the state.
Iba Gani Adams said
the reserved forests were meant to be the heritage of the state, and not
for herders or pastorist, maintaining
that Akeredolu as the governor is the chief security officer of the state and
that he has the right under the 1999 Nigerian constitution as amended to
protect the lives and property of the citizenry, and also resist any attempt to
turn the reserved forest to herders' abode or ranch.
"We are all a
witness to the various security challenges in Ondo state.
The governor's
convoy was attacked on two occasions. Two prominent Obas in the state have been kidnapped on different occasions.
The security situation in the state is always nightmarish because it was in
Ondo state that a first class monarch was killed by bandits masquerading as
Fulani herdsmen. It was also in Ondo state that a university lecturer was
abducted, it was in Ondo state that the daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben
Fasoranti was murdered, even chief Olu Falae's farm was invaded on four
occasions, leading to the death of one of our members, who was a security man.
These sad events and several others largely showed that the state is in
serious security challenges and it is in the interest of the state for governor
Rotimi Akeredolu to respond swiftly to the various security challenges"
"I am from
Akoko North West in Ondo state, all our reserved forests have been taken over
illegally by these illegal residents. So the governor's decision is in the
right direction and it is in the interest of the state.
"I am now
using this opportunity to call on all Yoruba sons and daughters to support
all the governors in the southwest in
their fight against insurgency across the region."
Meanwhile,
governor Akeredolu had in a statement affirmed the state's determination to end
the security challenges in the state, adding that the quit notice order stands,
stressing that no amount of threat can stop the state government from getting
rid of the bad elements in Ondo state.
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