Following the vacation order by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu which was handed down to unregistered Fulani herders believed to be responsible for mindless killings and kidnapping of prominent citizens in Ondo State, the development is currently generating bad blood by the day.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba in swift reaction dismissed the quit notice and asserted that the governor of Ondo State goofed.
But in a statement on Thursday which was in direct reaction to Garba Shehu’s position, members of the State House of Assembly have said that, ”The seven days ultimatum issued to herdsmen to quit the state Forests is a good intention meant to secure the lives and property of the people.
The lawmakers lampooned Buhari’s Media Aide for being insensitive to the harrowing experiences of Ondo citizens in hands of criminal elements among Fulani herders.
A statement by the Chairman House Committee on information, Hon Gbenga Omole noted that the quit notice was occasioned by endless cases of kidnapping, and other criminal activities traceable to herders in the state forest reserves.
According to them, lives were lost in an unimaginable way.
”The mindless killing of the daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the gruesome murder of the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Adewusi, the recent killing of the Deputy Registrar of the Federal University of Technology Akure among others are still very fresh in our memory.”
The lawmakers applauded the governor for rising above partisan politics to take.a.decision on what was good for the people.of Ondo by issuing a vacation order within seven days.
“Residents of the State have gone through a lot of trauma in the hands of these criminal minded individuals.
“That it is the onerous responsibility of government to protect the lives and property of the citizenry.”
The House contemplated cutting their recess to reconvene in order to give credence to the governor’s action, while they added that all the registered herdsmen should go about their legitimate duties without fear.
