‘Buhari Is Now Miyetti Allah’s Spokesman’ – Nigerians React

President Muhammadu Buhari has been described as Fulani ‘herders’ spokesman’, following his rejection of the ultimatum asking herdsmen to leave Ondo forest reserves by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Naija News had reported earlier that Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity tackled Governor Akeredolu, describing his 7 days ultimatum to Fulani herders in his state as lack of consistency in messaging.

Akeredolu had ordered herdsmen in the state to vacate the forest reserves within a period of seven days counting from Monday, 18th January. The Governor also banned night grazing as well as highway and under-age grazing in the state.

Reacting to the news, Shehu took to his social handle and wrote: “It 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.

“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 President, who swore to defend the constitution has spoken against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in asking citizens of Northern origin to leave; he did not spare the group based in Sokoto, ‘Muslim Solidarity Forum,’ which asked the Bishop of Sokoto to leave and is prepared to do all that the law permits to protect citizens all over the country in their choice of where they wished to reside and are treated as equal citizens.”

Reacting on the presidential aides’ statements, one Ayemojubar [@ayemojubar] on Twitter described the Presidency as the ‘herders spokesperson”.

She tweeted: “Your presidency is now herder’s spokesperson’.

See the tweet below:

Your presidency is now herder's "spokesperson". 🥳

— Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) January 19, 2021

Giving her opinion on the controversies, Adegbite Mulikat [@AdegbiteMulikat] suggest that the government should provide decent accommodation in an open area for the herders.

He tweeted: “a statement from the Presidency!!!When has forest becomes a residential area?Migrating to other states does not mean you go there and constitute a nuisance. Get a decent accommodation in an open area. Let everyone know you have no ulterior motives.Why choose a forest? Are they.

He added: “Just imagine. Supporting illegality. Why would any govt support criminals who chose to stay in a forest? Have we not learned enough from the residents of Sambisa forest? Must we replicate Sambisa in other parts of the country?The governor of Ondo is proactive and the next this is.”

Meanwhile, the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, has said the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has the right to issue quit notice to criminal herders in the state, Naija News reports.