Fulani Herdsmen: Speak up now, PDP governor tells Buhari
– The governor said if the government fails to act, the country may be heading toward a precipice
– Mimiko prevailed on members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) to shun their planned reprisal on herdsmen
-He said that urgent actions are not taken, people may resort to self help
Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko
Following the killing of a security guard attached to the farm of the former presidential candidate Chief Olu Falae, in Akure by Fulani herdsmen, Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has said the Federal Government must stop the incessant killings of people, particularly farmers, by Fulani herdsmen.
The OPC members had threatened a reprisal attack on Fulani herdsmen as the late Ayodele Ige was the OPC coordinator in Akure North Local Government.
According to Nation newspaper, Mimiko prevailed on members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) to shun their planned reprisal on herdsmen in the interest of peaceful and harmonious co-existence.
The governor said if the government fails to act, the country may be heading toward a precipice noting that urgent actions are not taken, people may resort to self help.
“We are moving towards the precipice and the earlier we pull back the better for us all. All major stakeholders must come together on how to resolve this issue.
“These herdsmen must be called to order. These wanton destructions, audacious incursions on other people’s territory cannot continue for too long. We must be concerned as a nation that this is a menace that poses a threat to us as nation.
“I am again appealing to Mr President and all the major stakeholders to let’s sort out this.
“For me, I see the grazing reserves aggravating the problem, though I’ve not read the law but I don’t see how that law can find comfort with the land use act. The control of land is vested in the governor, I can’t see any federal law that will compulsorily acquire any land from any state, in my state, for example, it cannot work.
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“The owners of these cattle, according to the information at my disposal, are well to do people, they are elite. If cattle rearing is a commercial venture, why should they not contribute to set up the ranches? After all, they don’t sell these cattle for free.
“We have been talking about diversification and agriculture is the main focus but in my state there’s hardly any medium scale or large scale farmers that has not had any encounter or the other with the herdsmen.
“I think if we don’t do anything about the activities of these herdsmen, I can see a threat to the security of this country so it’s a major challenge and I think the President and all major stakeholders should take this as a very serious challenge.”
OPC State Coordinator Pius Ogunsanya said members would go ahead with their planned reprisal, if security operatives fail to apprehend the killers.
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