Herdsmen

Prince Bola Ajibola, a Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice has rated Western Nigeria Security Network, tagged “Operation Amotekun”, high in terms of its capacity to protect the people of Ogun State from Fulani marauders.

The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that northern governors are committed to putting an end to the farmers/herders clashes by coming up with a permanent solution that will put the issue to bed.

The Northern State Governors Forum has expressed commitment to ending the nomadic grazing of cattle across the country as part of measures to resolve the herders-farmers conflict and end the activities of some criminal herdsmen.

The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Benue State chapter, Mr. Aondogu Saaku, has described the statement made by the Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, that both farmers and herdsmen carry sophisticated weapons, as despicable and insulting to farmers.

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, on Wednesday, reacted to the statement made by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state.

The abductors of 24-year-old farmer Ayodeji Emmanuel, who was kidnapped on Monday, February 22, 2021, at Oke Odan, Olomo community, Apete in Ibadan, Oyo State have demanded for a ranson of N100million to secure his release

An Akure Magistrate Court has remanded 15 persons suspected to have been involved in illegal mining of gold in Ondo State.

Former Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has alleged that the Fulani people particularly herdsmen, have been subjected to unfair treatment.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Mr Goddy Akpama, has applauded Governor Ben Ayade’s handling of security issues in the state.

Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has maintained his position that some Fulani herdsmen were forced into criminality because they were victims of cattle rustling.

Former Governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda, has said that Fulani herdsmen have the constitutional right to defend themselves, but not with AK-47.

The former captain in the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, spoke on a Channels TV programme, while reeling out his experience with the armed herders. His words: “It is a complex issue. It is an ethnic war and the solution is dialogue and teaching them Islam. To them, they are talking about an ethnic existence.”

Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue says people of the state are fighting against terrorists and killer herdsmen, not against the Fulani ethnic group as some Nigerians believe.

Governor Ortom who addressed a press conference in Makurdi on the back of life-threatening message received of aggrieved bandits accused Mohammed of being part of a “terrorist Fulani organisation, terrorising Nigerians.”

The Islamic cleric and peace negotiator, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said that the Federal Government knows the hiding place of the herdsmen and bandits involved in clashes with farmers, kidnappings and other criminal activities.

Governor Ortom who spoke in Makurdi while reacting to the recent media outing of the Bauchi Governor also alleged that the Bauchi state Governor’s unrelenting support for herders to carry AK47 rifles for self defence clearly indicated that the Governor was supporting the mindless killing of Nigerians by armed herders.

Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, says an outright ban on open grazing without an alternative for herdsmen will not end the incessant farmers/herders crises in the country.

Youths under the auspices of Coalition of Northern Organisations (CNO), has thrown their weight behind the statement credited to Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, that Fulani herdsmen carry AK47 rifles to protect themselves and their cows against rustlers and bandits.

The Benin-city by-pass in Edo State is gaining notoriety for kidnapping and banditry as a journalist, Ben Duno, who was travelling on that route with other commuters at the weekend escaped being attacked by the Fulani herdsmen at the weekend.

The Ikere Ekiti community in Ekiti State has raised the ₦60 million as part of its contribution to the smooth take off of the newly created Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti (BOUESTI).

According to the police, the three herdsmen were among those who attacked Bamajo village, set some houses ablaze and inflicted a deep machete cut injury on one Ismaila Alabi in the early hours of last Thursday.

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has dissociated himself from recent prayer points targeted against Fulani herdsmen and attributed to him on social media.