BEVERLY HILLS, January 24, (THEWILL) – The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that the party is in support of the quit notice issued by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to the Fulani herdsmen occupying forest reserves in the state.
The party made its position known in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, during an interview with journalists on Sunday.
Otaloro said the governor’s decision was the result of serious and troubling cases of kidnappings and killings in the state.
“Not too long ago, a first-class traditional ruler was killed. You know that people just came in from nowhere and started shooting. It has been something that the state doesn’t have to condole any longer. So the governor was right in that decision”, he said.
Otaloro, who noted that the order was not targeted at anybody or group of people in particular, said those directed to leave the state forest were unauthorized people in the forest.
“And in the case of the herders, what that decision or order says is that there are some registered herders that are known in the state, but if you are not registered, you don’t have any business being in the state. So we intend to control who and who are in the various state’s forests.
“By this decision, we have been able to apprehend those, who are unauthorized to be in the forest”, Otaloro said.
While noting that the quick response of the presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu was uncalled for, he said no one from the presidency came to the state’s rescue whenever cases of kidnappings and killings occur.
“And if the state government is now taking a decision that will safeguard the lives and properties of our people, we think it’s the right decision.
“So as a political party, we are backing the governor on this. We are watching him, we are with him and we believe it’s a decision that will totally eradicate this terrible wanton killings from the state.
“These killings are just too much and the state can no longer allow to continue. That’s the more reason this government is taking this drastic decision, which we believe is a measure to guide against further unnecessary killings in the state”, Otaloro said.
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