Some Governors on Monday met with the national leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Akure, Ondo State capital, and with a renewed vow to protect citizens of their state from the incessant attacks and promote good neighborliness through collaborative efforts.
The governors include Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State; Muhammadu Badru Abubakar of Jigawa State; Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and the NGF Chairman who is also the governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, said the meeting was called to resolve the issue of insecurity in the South-West.
He said that the order pronounced by Governor Akeredolu was misconstrued by the media.
According to Fayemi, Akeredolu had not ordered the Fulani to leave Ondo State but the forest reserves.
Fayemi said, “Many members of MACBAN were born in the South-West. So, Akeredolu cannot ask Fulani to vacate Ondo State. The area concerned is the forest reserves and it is about registration and also to work in line with the law.
“What we are after is the criminals, not Fulani herdsmen, criminals are criminals irrespective of their ethnic group.”
Governor Seyi Makinde in his address said the meeting is not about politics but a meeting about “a serious challenge we are faced with.”
Makinde vowed that “We will not use criminality to solve criminality as nobody can predict what will end such. We will continue to work with our people to face the kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers who are our common enemies. We have to deal with the issue of fake news.”
He added that he will continue to promote good neigbourliness and support the security agencies for them to do their work.
The governor also promised that “we will continue to expand the economy and provide job opportunities for our people. We will continue to provide the leadership that the country needs at this time.”
Also, Osun state governor Adegboyega Oyetola said criminality has no ethnic coloration and that some criminals are masquerading as herdsmen and must be identified.
“In Osun State we have a committee made up of Farmers-Herdsmen represented by MACBAN and government representatives, standing Committee will help.
“I recommend this for other states. Sometimes it’s a question of communication. Every Nigerian has a right to stay anywhere in the country.”
In his remark, Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar said he is delighted to be at the meeting and appreciates the position of his colleagues.
He however stressed that “There’s so much instigation in the south and in the north by those who don’t wish the country well to cause the crisis.”
The governor added that they won’t tolerate criminality in any form and fight criminals – ethnic or religious inclination notwithstanding.
“In Jigawa, criminality is very low, everyone is engaged in fighting crime, even MACBAN do arrest criminals. The Ondo Governor did not order Fulani herdsmen out of Ondo State he only said he wants to identify and profile those who will operate in the forests. Commend the collaboration among the security agencies in securing the country,” Abubakar said.
On his part, the Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu in his address said insecurity is the same across the country.
“We need to invest in modernisation of pastoral farming to reduce crisis. Security agencies should work together to identify and apprehend criminally minded individuals in the society, whether they are Fulanis or not.”
Similarly, Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu of Ondo State appreciated his Ekiti State counterpart for initiating the meeting.
He said kidnappers are using forest reserves as an area of operation for kidnapping.
“Even our Farmers are registered, we all agreed no night grazing, no underaged grazing. We will ban grazing in cities. I assure you we can all work together to chase all criminals from the state. We must be able to identify and move them out of the forest reserves. We must protect everyone living in Ondo State,” Akeredolu said.
