ONDO SECURITY SITUATION: Northen Elders Forum Defends Garba , Says Akeredolu Demonising Herdsmen

Turning a blind eye to the complaints of Ondo State Government led by Rotimi Akeredolu, The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Wednesday described as shocking the stand of Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on the Fulani community.

The Government had issued a directive asking all herdsmen in Ondo forest reserves to quit with one week but this move was resisted by the Presidential Spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu who said:

The statement, entitled: “In tackling crime, Ondo State will not act outside the constitution,” noted that although Akeredolu with his pedigree in the first four years as governor fought crime with passion, he could not have asked the herders to leave the state in a jiffy.

It said: “Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, a seasoned lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and indeed, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has fought crime in his state with passion and commitment, greater sensitivity and compassion for the four years he has run its affairs and, in our view, will be the least expected to unilaterally oust thousands of herders who have lived all their lives in the state on account of the infiltration of the forests by criminals.

“If this were to be the case, rights groups will be right in expressing worries that the action could set off a chain of events which the makers of our constitution foresaw and tried to guard against.”

The statement added that what is emerging is a lack of consistency in messaging which in turn leads to various contradictions regarding the accuracy and the intent behind the message.

The statement called for restraint on both sides and urged 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 security challenges facing the state.

It said: “We want to make it clear that kidnapping, banditry and rustling are crimes, no matter the motive or who is involved. But to define crime from the nameplates, as a number of commentators have erroneously done- which group they belong to, the language they speak, their geographical location or their faith is atavistic and cruel.

“We need to delink terrorism and crimes from ethnicity, geographical origins and religion—to isolate the criminals who use this interchange of arguments to hinder law enforcement efforts as the only way to deal effectively with them.”

The statement said the president, who swore to defend the constitution, has spoken against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in asking citizens of Northern origin to leave.

It added that the president did not spare the group based in Sokoto, ‘Muslim Solidarity Forum,’ which asked the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, to leave, adding also that the president is prepared to do all that the law permits to protect citizens all over the country in their choice of where they wish to reside and are treated as equal citizens.

“The government of Ondo and all the 35 others across the federation must draw clear lines between the criminals and the law-abiding citizens who must equally be saved from the infiltrators. Beyond law and order, the fight against crime is also a fight for human values, which are fundamental to our country,” it added.

NEF believes that the action of the Governor is provocative and unhelpful.

A statement by the NEF Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, reads in part: “If there are criminal elements among the Fulani who live in the State, the Governor should take appropriate steps to identify them and deal with them.

“Similarly, the Fulani do not enjoy legal immunity in any part of Nigeria. The Fulani are subject to all laws and regulations and must respect the communities with which they live and interact.

“What is dangerous and unacceptable is to profile and demonise the Fulani and treat him outside the laws of the land like all other Nigerians.

“The quit order by the Governor of Ondo will worsen perceptions that the Fulani is unsafe and unwelcome in certain parts of Nigeria”.

The Forum urges the Fulani community in Ondo to stay put where they are and continue to be law-abiding, adding that: “they should collaborate with all legitimate authorities to police their communities against criminal elements but they should resist moves to be labelled entirely as criminals.

“We call on Governor Akeredolu to rescind his order on the Fulani or clarify his position in the event that he is misunderstood.

“He has a responsibility to protect the rights of all people in Ondo State, including the Fulanis and he will be well-advised to engage them towards improving security in the State instead of treating all of them as criminals without rights or protection under the constitution.”