The Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Wednesday, condemned the President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on the directive of Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu asking unregistered herdsmen to vacate the state government reserves within seven days.
The group in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, titled “Ondo Forests: Fulani Presidency Again,” said the regime had again shown its non-pretence as representing the Fulani interest above other tribes in the country.
Killer herdsmen hold sway in the state and the governor on Tuesday also banned underage grazing, night grazing, movement of cattle within the cities and highways.
But a statement swiftly released by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Tuesday, stated that the President called for restraint on the matter by both the state government and the Fulani communities.
Afenifere said, “The intervention by what we mistakenly call the Federal Government of Nigeria on behalf of marauding Fulanis in Ondo State against the lawful government in that state did not come to Afenifere as a surprise as it is in line with the non-pretence by this regime that it represents only Fulani interests against those of Yoruba, Igbo, Junkun, Ijaw and other tribes in Nigeria.
“That the Federal Government and its minion, Garba Shehu, could only hear Ondo State when Governor Akeredolu was very loud and clear about herders to vacate forest reserves in the state is symptomatic that this government has a serious problem with heating the rest of us when the issue involves its anointed Fulanis.
“The Fulani criminals have caused untold hardships in Ondo State and other Yoruba towns and cities in recent time and only an irresponsible government that wants to behave like our Federal Government will continue to fold its arms.
“Are Ondo forest reserves under Ondo State Government or the Federal Government and Miyetti Allah? We agree with the Ondo State Government that the insensibility of Garba Shehu violates the corporate existence of Nigeria.”
The group wondered what the regime had done to give an assurance it could protect the lives of people in the South-West
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