Herdsmen: Akeredolu warns Bauchi governor against setting Nigeria on fire

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has warned his Bauchi counterpart, Governor Bala Mohammed against sharing his ‘highly destructive thoughts’ on the herdsmen crisis in Nigeria.

Akeredolu also asked Mohammed not to set the country on fire with rhetorics that are capable of undermining national cohesion.

In a bid to address killings and kidnapping in his state, Akeredolu had recently ordered all herdsmen to vacate the state forest reserves or register with the state government.

The development generated controversy as Mohammed tackled Akeredolu saying the governor has no right to issue a vacation notice to herders in Ondo state.

Mohammed had on Friday, February 19, tackled Akeredolu saying, “Land is in the hands of the state and federal governments in trust but Nigerians don’t need the permission of governors or the federal government to settle everywhere. You don’t need the permission of the governor of Bauchi or the governor of Ondo to be in the forests of Ondo if you choose to live in the forests because under Section 41 of the constitution, you are free to settle anywhere.”

Reacting, Akeredolu fired back through a statement by his Special Assistant on New Media, Olabode Olatunde on Saturday, February 20, 2021, saying Mohammed’s comments were insensitive.

The statement reads, “The position of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is not to engage or confront anyone who has the mindset of a crisis entrepreneur or warmonger. Very provoking and insensitive as the statement appears, we can only err on the side of caution by advising Governor Bala Mohammed not set Nigeria on fire by his thoughts that are highly destructive and undermining national cohesion.

“Nigerians should ignore him and rather focus on those issues that can bring about peace and engender unity.”

Akeredolu also tackled Mohammed over his earlier comment that herdsmen have the right to move about with AK47 to defend themselves against cattle rustlers.