The National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo has declared that all lands in Nigeria belongs to the Fulani. Bodejo said that no power can remove Fulani herdsmen from any forest in any state.
This is as the 7-day ultimatum given to Fulani herdsmen in Ondo forests by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, expires today. Bodejo also revealed that the herdsmen have concluded plans to drag Governor Akeredolu to court over the eviction notice. “All the lands in this country belong to the Fulani, but we don’t have any business to do with land if it doesn’t have areas for grazing; if the land doesn’t have cow food, we won’t have any business with it. “We don’t sell land, we don’t farm. What we consider is the areas that have cow food. If the place is good for grazing, we don’t need anybody’s permission to go there,” he told Sun. “Fulani have been in the forests he is talking about even before he [Gov Akeredolu]was born; they have been there for over 250 years. “We are suing the governor and seeking injunction restraining him and others from carrying out his threat. But even at that, nobody, no power can send the herdsmen out of Ondo State,” he boasted.
Following the high rate of criminalities which come in form of kidnappings, raping of women and killings allegedly being committed by criminals hiding in forests across Ondo State, Governor Akeredolu had given herdsmen a seven-day ultimatum to vacate the areas. But in a swift reaction, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria cried out over the governor’s directive leading to Presidency’s statement through the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, cautioning Akeredolu against the move, saying the herders cannot leave the forests for any reason.
However, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Nicholas Tofowomo on Saturday backed the Governors decision to remove Fulani herdsmen from forests in the state. In similar development, a Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, at the weekend made good his threat to evict Fulani from Igangan in Oyo State.
He had earlier, alongside his supporters, stormed the area and gave the Fulani a 7-day ultimatum to leave. The Presidency has also kicked against the attack on Fulani, saying that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had ordered the immediate arrest of Igboho.