TheNewsGuru

Tag: Fulani Herdsmen

  • Just in: Alleged Fulani herdsmen murder young graduate in Abuja

    Just in: Alleged Fulani herdsmen murder young graduate in Abuja

     

    A young Igala graduate, identified as John Johnson, has been brutally murdered and dismembered in what is believed to be an attack by suspected herdsmen.

    The incident occurred in Zaina, near Angwar Hakimi, Orozo, within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja, leaving his family and community in deep mourning.

    Monitored reports indicate that Johnson met his untimely death on March 29, 2025, while attending a Boys’ Brigade camp in the area. Sources say he had already endured immense hardship, having lost his father to a prolonged illness just the previous year.

    The Chief of Igala in Orozo, Amadu Zachariah, confirmed the attack and lamented the failure of security forces to apprehend the perpetrators. He revealed that the Boys’ Brigade had initially set up camp in Zaina, but due to an impending rainstorm, the group decided to relocate to a nearby church for shelter.

    According to Zachariah, two group leaders later returned to the original campsite to retrieve their belongings. It was during this moment that suspected herdsmen ambushed them. One leader managed to escape, but tragically, Johnson was caught and killed.

    Eyewitness Account of the Attack
    Recounting the harrowing event, Zachariah explained:

    “Unfortunately, that night, the weather took a turn for the worse, and they had to move the children to a nearby church for safety. After ensuring the children were settled, two of the group’s leaders went back to retrieve their belongings.

    “On their way, they were ambushed by individuals suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. One of them managed to escape, but John Johnson was not so lucky. He was attacked, and by the time the villagers arrived in response to the survivor’s alert, Johnson had already been killed.”

    Local authorities were promptly informed, and a police investigation commenced. Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered that Fulani herdsmen residing in the area had fled, raising suspicions about their involvement.

    “The police were notified, and upon reaching the scene, they found that the Fulani herdsmen who had been living around the area had packed up and disappeared,” Zachariah stated. “The leaders of the Fulani community have assured the police that they will assist in identifying the culprits, but as of now, no arrests have been made.”

    This lack of immediate justice has left the community frustrated, with residents calling for swift action from security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

    Tributes and Calls for Justice
    The senseless murder of John Johnson has sent shockwaves through his family, friends, and the entire Orozo community. The Fortress Ministry in Abuja, where Johnson was an active member, officially announced his passing, describing his death as a martyrdom for his unwavering faith.

    In a statement released to the press, Rev. Samuel Ikani, the head of Fortress Ministry, expressed sorrow over the incident:

    “With deep sorrow but unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, Fortress Ministry Abuja announces the homegoing of our beloved brother, Bro. Johnson Enyo-Ojo John, who transitioned to glory on March 29, 2025.

    “Bro. Johnson was martyred while standing firm in his commitment to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He lived a life of devotion, service, and unwavering love for God, inspiring us with his courage and dedication.

    Police Response and Ongoing Investigation
    Despite attempts to reach the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, for a statement, there has been no official response to calls and messages seeking clarification on the investigation’s progress.

    Meanwhile, concerned citizens and advocacy groups have called on the authorities to intensify their efforts in apprehending the assailants. Community leaders emphasize the need for improved security measures in the region to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

    A Plea for Action
    John Johnson’s murder underscores the growing insecurity in parts of Nigeria, where reports of attacks by suspected herdsmen have become increasingly frequent. His family and community are now pleading for justice, urging the government and security agencies to act decisively to ensure that such incidents do not continue unabated.

    As the nation mourns yet another victim of violent attacks, the call for better protection of citizens remains louder than ever.

  • Panic as armed herdsmen unleash terror upon travellers along Imo highway (photos)

    Panic as armed herdsmen unleash terror upon travellers along Imo highway (photos)

    Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, on Friday attacked travellers and motorists, plying the Ihitte/ Okpola highway in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.

    The attack, eyewitnesses said left all commuters travelling from Owerri, Lagos and Onistha stranded as commercial vehicles temporarily withdrew all their vehicles on that route.

    According to an eyewitness, “the herdmen, were mostly Fulani, and heavily armed, ambushed and opened fire on commuters, and also carried the passengers inside the bush.’’

    The source added that all the cars coming from Owerri, Lagos, Onistha, are packed because of the incident which occurred along Ihitte/ Okpola highway.

    Another source,  narrated how a lone driver traveling along the expressway was attacked and shot, with his car destroyed with bullets.

    Speaking, he said, “Owerri road is not safe, if you driving on the road, please be very watchful.’

    As at the filing of this report, the Imo State Police Command is yet to issue a public statement regarding the incident.

     

     

  • Letter from Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu – By Hope O’Rukevbe Eghagha

    Letter from Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu – By Hope O’Rukevbe Eghagha

    If you had any doubts about the authenticity of this letter, let me assure you that I am still involved, very involved in all that you do, and experience in our beleaguered country, especially with the stupid wanton killings in the southeast, by unknown gunmen, the ubiquitous Fulani herdsmen, Eastern Security Network and the Buhari-government-outlawed-IPOB. And we are deeply upset hereabouts. Not even in the period preceding the 1967 conflagration did the nation witness so much brutality, hopelessness, uncertainty, and poverty. It is unbecoming of a nation so blessed with natural and human resources!

    How are you all? We know things are not rosy. The entire world is currently in a turmoil. Poverty and hunger are real. Indeed, Nigerians are coping better with the economic hardship than Europeans who have lived a life of luxury. Else, how do you account for a worker on a 30k monthly salary still paying school fees for three kids and feeding once a day and still smiling to church or the Mosque? It is not a happy thing. No, not a happy situation.

    I’m involved not simply with my beautiful, delectable-First Lady-slapping Bianca whom I parted with when I joined the ancestors! I’m involved in the Nigeria project; an arcane project which was cobbled together by the colonial old-fashioned rapacious British, battered by politicians, and militarized by adventurists in the Nigeria Army and thrown into confusion by the extremists occupying Aso Rock and some State government Houses, north and south currently. I’m still at a loss why and how the people of Imo State allow Hope Uzodinma to happen. We know the role of the Supreme Court in the whole matter, and we are waiting for those renegades to join us and face interrogation from their ancestors! Injustice fuels rebellion. Guerilla rebellion creates permanent instability, thereby making progress difficult or impossible. In a sense, Nigeria is the very definition of injustice. I will dwell on this at some length in future.

    It is true that I led the movement to dismember Nigeria into different sovereign nations. Looking back now, I do not regret the breakaway effort. It is also true that if that quest for Biafra had succeeded the nation would have been better for it. Nigeria can only fully develop its potential in a truly federal state; not the unitary system that was foisted by the military and now sustained by civilians. Isn’t that why different movements for ethnic and regional autonomy have sprung up? This is not the purpose of my letter which I am writing on behalf of the Assembly of Past Stakeholders in the Celestial realm! Sorry for going into my personal thoughts.

    I’m involved at a higher, indeed the highest level, that of an ancestral statesman, sitting in conference with such veterans as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, Anthony Enahoro, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, JS Tarka, KO Mbadiwe, Abubakar Rimi, Aminu Kano, Efe Jereton-Mariere, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (Omimi Ejoh), Sir Aderemi Adesoji, Chief Akintola, Umaru Dikko, Shehu Shagari, and the many others. We asked the soldiers to stand aside because we haven’t forgiven them for plunging the nation into years of administrative misadventure. Murtala Mohammed has been in the forefront of apologia, stating that their intervention was in the national interest. Who determines the national interest?

    The last letter from Chief Awolowo to your earthling conveyed our worries. I was advised to write this time because of the uncertain situation in the southeastern part of the country. It is the belief of Conference that the armed boys in the southeast are killing that region. What sense does it make to order all peoples in Igbo land to sit at home every Monday, the first day f business? Who does it help? Who does it hurt? Where did such foolishness, unknown among the Igbo spring from? I am at a loss.

    So, this is an appeal from me, erstwhile main fighter for Igbo liberation to my people. I know that you are yet to reap the state benefit of reintegration after the civil war. But my advice is that you should reconsider your strategy. Conference of Elders here has decided not to endorse any candidate. Out of respect for plurality and the need to remain united up here, we have decided that every Nigerian should vote according to their conscience. The presidential contest is a four-way track. They all have their strengths. I have my candidate and have since sent my personal endorsement to the leaders in Awka, Enugu, Owerri, Aba, and Abakaliki. Some of them were arguing with me about mainstream politics, but I ignored them. They argued that Ifeanyi is also our son. No problem with that. He has my support too. Let the kite perch. Let the eagle perch. One of them will eat the lion share and the reward will come to Ndigbo. This is my personal response to them though as a conference we have not endorsed any candidate.

    Am I talking from both sides of the mouth? You should be discerning enough to know that the wind could blow in any direction. We are not clairvoyant yet, though we have joined the occupants of the multiple-storey building. So, we are not too certain. By the way, what has become of Nigeria Air? There was so much noise about flying the Nigerian Flag through the skies. Too bad. A national carrier will give the nation great mileage apart from ferrying millions of Nigerians across the world daily!

    It is foolishness to continue to impot fuel. It is another level of foolishness to hinge the stoppage of fuel importation on one man, I mean, Dangote. This is the time to diversify things. What has happened to the country with cement monopoly should not be replicated in the oil sector. The danger is that if anything goes wrong, we will return to Square One. Let a thousand flowers bloom in the fuel refining business. It is our considered view that a southern businessman or a group of southern businessmen should float a refinery too. Such a project should be in the Niger Delta. Equity demands this.

    Finally, we wish you well as you move nearer the month of February when elections will be held. We are not likely to write another letter till after the elections. Just remember that there is life after elections.

  • Insecurity: Bandits chop off woman’s breast, kill two in Nasarawa

    Insecurity: Bandits chop off woman’s breast, kill two in Nasarawa

     

    Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, on Friday night, invaded Gidan Ityotyev, a Tiv farming community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, and killed two persons as well as injuring another.

    The killings at Gidan Ityotyev occurred barely two weeks after some suspected herdsmen invaded Gidan Sule community in neighbouring Keana Local Government Area of the state and killed about 10 Tiv farmers, displacing thousands.

    The spokesperson of Gidan Ityotyev community, Ukpuu Abaa, gave names of the community members killed during the invasion as Moses Saaku and Aondofa Saaku.

    Abba added that the assailants chopped off the breast of one of the community members, Kwaghdoo Saaku.

    Ukpuu disclosed that the attack on the people of the community occurred at about 11:00 p.m. on Friday.

    He revealed that on arrival at the village, the suspected Fulani herdsmen opened fire and shot sporadically in the community

    “The invaders noticing the resilience from people of the Gidan Ityotyev community, withdrew from their attack immediately and took to their heels after succeeding in killing two persons of the same family, and as well cutting off the breast of another female member of the community with a sword,” he said.

    The spokesperson, however, expressed worry that the people of the community were in trauma following the invasion by the suspected herdsmen, and appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to provide the villagers with security personnel that will wade off another envisaged attack.

    Speaking on the incident, the Nasarawa State Police Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, said he could not confirm the attack, adding “it was yet to be reported to the state Police Command”.

  • Fulani herders kill six in fresh attacks on Benue Village

    Fulani herders kill six in fresh attacks on Benue Village

    Residents of Umella Village in Mbawa ward of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State are still smarting from last Thursday’s attack on their community by Fulani herdsmen which left no fewer than six persons dead.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) gathered that the suspected herders, in their numbers, invaded the community around three o’clock in the afternoon and started opening fire, killing all that they set their eyes on.

    Few members of the community were said to be lucky as they ran for dear lives upon being lucky not to be gunned down.

    The chairman of Guma Local Government, Mike Uba, confirmed to newsmen on telephone that the herders attacked the community and killed six of its members.

    The state governor, Samuel Ortom’s security adviser, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Hemba (retd), also confirmed the attack.

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    “The information I have is that six people were killed in an unprovoked attack on Umella community on Thursday afternoon,” Hemba said.

    A native of the community who gave his name simply as Tondo said the attackers shot randomly at the people and sent the entire village into panic.

    “When they came, gunshots rent the air and caused the people to run helter-skelter. After the attackers left, six people were lying lifelessly on the ground,” Tondo said.

    He said the deceased were Aginde Ibember, Orfega Ibember, Alex Msuega, Tsula Iortyer, Verlumun Ortese and another villager whose identity was yet to be ascertained.

    As of the time of filing this report, the spokesperson of the state police command, Catherine Anene, said she had yet to receive any information regarding the incident.

  • Why killer Fulani herdsmen are terrorists – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    Why killer Fulani herdsmen are terrorists – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    Recently the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) invoked the law and declared the bandits operating in Nigeria are terrorists. Because President Buhari has been running a totalitarian Fulani hegemonic regime that provides cover for killer Fulani herdsmen, he and Malami are turning a blind eye to the unspeakable acts of terrorism being committed in Nigeria by the killer Fulani herdsmen in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment Act) 2013, Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the international anti-terrorism instruments. Why shield criminals?. Sad. Last Sunday about five villagers were killed in a fight between the Fulani herders and local farmers in Idofa area of Imeko-Afon Local Council, Ondo State. The farmers accused the herders of destroying their farm lands through open grazing of their cows.

    It is noteworthy that much of the international law of terrorism are in the form of multilateral treaties. These multilateral treaties include the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents. Now, the aforesaid treaties other treaties on terrorism contain several important provisions in combating terrorism. These provisions which include articles that define particular acts of terrorism as criminal offenses for the purposes of the treaties oblige states parties to make the offenses punishable by appropriate penalties under their domestic laws. In Nigeria, the extant domestic laws under which terrorism is defined and punishable are the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment Act) 2013), the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. Section 1 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 states that— “A person who knowingly— (a) does, attempts or threatens to do an act preparatory to or in furtherance of an act of terrorism; (b) commits to do anything that is reasonably necessary to promote an act of terrorism; or (c) assists or facilitates the activities of persons engaged in an act of terrorism,, commits an offence under this Act.

    Section 2 of the Act defines “act of terrorism” to mean as act which is deliberately done with malice, aforethought and which : (a) may seriously harm or damage a country or an international organization ; (b) is intended or can reasonably be regarded as having been intended to— i (unduly compel a government or international organization to perform or abstain from performing any act; (ii) seriously intimidate a population ; (iii) seriously destabilize, or destroy the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structures of a country or an international organization ; or, (iv) otherwise influence such government or international organization by intimidation or coercion; and (c) involves or causes, as the case may be—, (i) an attack upon a person’s life which may cause serious bodily harm or death: (ii) kidnapping of a person ; . (iii) destruction to a Government or public facility, a transport system, an infrastructure facility, including an information system, a fixed platform located on the continental shelf, a public place or private property, likely to endanger human life or result in major economic loss; (iv) the seizure of an aircraft, ship or other means of public or good transport and diversion or the use of such means of transportation for any of the purposes in paragraph (b ) (iv) of this subsection; (v) the manufacture, possession, acquisition, transport, supply of weapons, explosives or of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons as well as research into, and development of biological and chemical weapons without lawful authority; (vi) the release of dangerous substance or causing of fire, explosions or floods, the effect of which is to endanger human life ; (vii) interference with or disruption of the supply of water, power or any other fundamental natural resource, the effect of which is to endanger human life

    Under the watch of the Buhari government the killer Fulani herdsmen have been committing unspeakable acts of terrorism in Nigeria and getting away with them. Apart from killing, maiming, kidnapping and raping their victims to death, the killer herders, in conspiracy with their cohorts from Niger Republic, have been aiding and abetting mutinous acts, threatening to levy war against Nigeria, forcing and compelling President Buhari and the National Assembly to change their measures and policies, destroying, encumbering and confiscating farmlands across Nigeria (resulting in the scarcity of foodstuffs and soaring prices of foodstuffs in Nigeria) in violation of Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty which is contrary to section 2 (a) (b) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) and c (i), (ii) (iv) (vii) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended). Nnamdi Kanu is being charged under sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended) and sections 41, 44, 45 and 375 the Criminal Code Act for alleged acts of terrorism. Just last week they slammed terrorism charges against the Oyo traditional ruler Oba Solomon Akintola and 10 of his High Chiefs for allegedly invading Aagba Community in Oyo State and kidnapping three persons and injuring others. The pertinent question remains: Why is this Buhari government charging Nnamdi Kanu, Oyo Chiefs and others to court for alleged acts of terrorism while exonerating the Fulani herdsmen who have inciting the public in order to destabilize, or destroy the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structures of our country?

    Explaining why the bandits were declared as terrorists, Malami, said, inter alia, “our assessment took into consideration that they are causing a major threat to territorial peaceful co-existence and causing a major threat to lives with weapons.” Are the murderous Fulani herdsmen not causing a major threat to Nigeria’s territorial peaceful co-existence? If the answer is in the affirmative, why are President Buhari and Malami conspiring to exonerate them from the heinous act of terrorism? Why have the duo acquiesced in the endless massacre of the innocent Nigerian citizens by the AK-47-carrying Fulani pastoralists and Miyetti Allah their sponsors? For example, in the aftermath of the massacre of about 200 villagers in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South local government areas of Plateau State in June 2018, Miyetti Allah quickly issued a statement accepting responsibility for the massacre. It admitted that it carried out the massacre in retaliation for alleged Fulani herdsmen who had been killed in the area. According to the then Chairman of the North Central zone of Miyetti Allah Danladi Ciroma, “These attacks are retaliatory Fulani herdsmen have lost about 300 cows in the last few weeks — 94 cows were rustled by armed Berom youth in Fan village, another 36 cows were killed by Berom youth. In addition to that, 174 cattle were rustled and the criminals disappeared with them to Mangu [Local Government]…Since these cows were not found, no one should expect peace in the areas”. Why didn’t the most excellent Abubakar Malami SAN and most righteous President Buhari dispatch the DSS to arrest or interrogate Ciroma for uttering the aforesaid inflammable terrorist statement in violation of sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended) and sections 41,44, 45 and 375 the Criminal Code Act?.

    Anyway, whether Buhari and Malami like it or not, the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) rates the Fulani herdsmen militia as the fourth deadliest terrorist organization in the world. The GTI has ranked Nigeria, for the sixth consecutive time since 2015, as the third country with the most impactful deadliest terrorist organization. The GTI says that in 2018 the killer Fulani herdsmen killed more Nigerians than Boko Haram. So why is the Buhari government refusing to tag the killer Fulani herdsmen as terrorists and treat them as such?

  • Attacks: Delta women protest, accuse leaders of selling their farmlands to Fulani herdsmen

    Attacks: Delta women protest, accuse leaders of selling their farmlands to Fulani herdsmen

    Women in Okpara-Inland in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday protested the incessant attacks on them and destruction of their farmlands by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    They appealed to the Delta State and Federal Government to come to their rescue.

    The women, who embarked on a peaceful protest around the major roads of lsiokolo, headquarters of the local government area grounded commercial activities as they dropped the leaves at the gate of the palace of the traditional ruler of Agbon Kingdom, the President-General’s house and local government secretariat.

    The women said: “We have suffered humiliation in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen. They rape and force us to drink herbicides which we use on clearing our farmlands. We have complained several times to our leaders but they are not responding because they might have collected money from the herdsmen.

    A victim of the herdsmen’s attack, Mama Roseline Idolor said: “I met the Fulani herdsmen and their cows were destroying my cassava, yams, groundnuts, corn and potatoes on my farm. I pleaded with them not to destroy the crops and they said the land belongs to them because they have paid for it.

    The leader of the women, Mama Victoria Eghagha advised that anyone who has collected money from the herdsmen should go and collect his money and retrieve their land from the herdsmen because they don’t want Fulani herdsmen in their community.

    When contacted, His Royal Majesty, Ogurime-rime, Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, Ukori I, JP said the allegations by the protesters that money was collected from the Fulani herdsmen as the exchange of land was not true, pointing out that the kingdom has no personal land that should be given to herdsmen and that these allegations are false.

    The monarch, who spoke through the Secretary of Agbon Traditional Council, Chief Emmanuel Avworo said: “The Ovie of Agbon is the king of all the sub-clans, towns and villages and these towns are being presided over by the presidents-general or the Okarurho (Eldest man) of each community.

    ‘The palace does not involve itself in this kind of issue and it may interest you to know that matters relating to sales, allotment lands are handle at the community levels, the palace does not involve not to talk of leasing land to herdsmen, when they don’t have land to give.

    “If they are alleging that lands were given to Fulani herdsmen, then they should take their issues either to the President-General, Okauro or elders from that community and not the palace. In Urhobo, lands are owned by individuals and families and not the kingdom.

    “We will ensure that this issue is investigated in collaboration with the security agencies to unravel the root cause of the issues as we want the safety and security of lives in Agbon.”

    The President-General of Okpara Community, Chief Austin Akatugba said: “This protest embarked on by our mothers is a good one because we have been battling with these herdsmen issues for some time now and we have been handling it systematically.

    “We are suffering and smiling over these issues and recently the Fulani herdsmen invaded and destroyed one of our villages and as law-abiding citizens, we reported the matter to the police for investigation. Though the leaders of Okpara were not informed of the protest I am glad that no property was destroyed in the process.”

  • BREAKING: 9 dead, 28 abducted as gunmen wreak havoc along Kaduna-Kachia road [PHOTOS]

    BREAKING: 9 dead, 28 abducted as gunmen wreak havoc along Kaduna-Kachia road [PHOTOS]

    No fewer than nine persons have been killed by gunmen on Tuesday morning along the Kaduna-Kachia road in Kaduna State.

    The gunmen, alleged to be Fulani herdsmen, also took twenty eight (28) persons hostage at the same time some half a kilometer to Kasuwan Magani.

    https://twitter.com/ayukson2011/status/1379356387109703683?s=19

    Kaduna State has lately become the headquarters of Fulani herdsmen terrorists killing and kidnapping.

    Thirty four of the Afaka students are still in captivity and the State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has vowed not to pay a dime for their release – claiming that even if his wife were abducted, he wouldn’t pay a dime.

    Interestingly, feelers had it that Governor El-Rufai has withdrawn his son from the public Capital School in Kaduna at the height of school abductions in the State.

  • Ekiti traditional council states position on ceding land to Fulani herdsmen

    Ekiti traditional council states position on ceding land to Fulani herdsmen

    The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has made its position known on alleged plans to cede portions of land to Fulani herdsmen and other herders in the State.

    The council described as untrue the alleged plan by the government to cede portions of land to some people for ranching and grazing.

    The clarification is contained in a statement issued by Chief Ajibade Olubunmi, Media Adviser to Oba Adebanji Alabi, the Alawe of Ilawe and Chairman of the council.

    According to the statement, Gov. Kayode Fayemi has no plans to cede an inch of Ekiti land to any group of people for ranching.

    The Alawe said the clarification was sequel to a publication by some traditional rulers under the aegis of Majority Obas in Ekiti Land (MOBEL) alleging that Fayemi intended to cede land to some people for cattle ranching or grazing.

    Accounting to the statement, the Alawe was reacting to a statement issued by the Olomuo-Oke of Omuo-Oke, Oba Vincent Otitoju, Onikun of Ikun Amure Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Olusola and other traditional rulers.

    The Alawe said available information from the government revealed that the news making the round on plans to cede land was meant to cause disaffection among the people.

    The Chairman of the Traditional Council appealed to traditional rulers to show some restraint in reacting to news culled from social media which, he said, was prevalent with misinformation, disinformation and fake news.

    The Alawe disclosed that members of the State Council of Traditional Rulers would be properly briefed at its next statutory meeting in April 2021 by top bureaucrats on government policy on animal husbandry.

  • Yoruba/Fulani herder crisis: Fayose backs Igboho, urges Makinde to be more proactive

    Yoruba/Fulani herder crisis: Fayose backs Igboho, urges Makinde to be more proactive

    Ayodele Fayose, former Governor of Ekiti state, has warned against arresting popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, well known as Sunday Igboho.

    Igboho had issued a seven-day quit notice to herdsmen accused of kidnapping, rape, farmland destruction, amongst other crimes in the Ibarapa area of Oyo, and enforced same.

    He had also confronted herdsmen accused of terrorizing farmers and residents in the Yewa area of Ogun State.

    But Igboho has been quiet lately after series of warnings and threats. He has also stopped granting interviews.

    However, Fayose noted that Igboho is not ignorable with the current level of insecurity in Nigeria.

    The PDP Chieftain told Channels TV on Sunday that the activist must be used positively in the resolution of ethnic crisis and insecurity rather than being threatened.

    Fayose said: Sunday Igboho is not ignorable in the circumstance that we have found ourselves. He can now be used positively to make peace rather than condemn him or ask him to go, arrest him or put him behind bars.

    “The situation we have at hand now calls for everyone to come to a round table and appeal to their people.

    “Sunday Igboho might not be the best of persons but the fact remains that when crises come, they come from the lower cadre of the society and people like him are the ones that can talk to the people. Big men stay in their houses and will send people out to go and resolve it.

    “My appeal is that Sunday Igakindeboho, no matter how stupid or how you perceived him, must be brought and used positively in the resolution of this crisis.

    Speaking further on the ethnic crisis in Oyo, Fayose called on Governor Seyi Makinde to be more proactive.

    He said: “Governor Makinde needs to be more proactive, Oyo state is a big state. Look at what happened in Igangan, when a similar incident happened in Ekiti, I was there that same day. I took charge of that community. I slept in that community. And immediately they mentioned names of people responsible, instead of fighting them, I brought them to the round table, and this I have told Governor Makinde. I sat him down.”

    Fayose also spoke about the report linking former Aviation minister Fani-Kayode to the All Progressives Congress.

    Fayose quoted James 1:14, about when a man is ‘taken away in his own covetousness’ and said: “Anyone who leaves PDP for APC at this time is taken up in his own covetousness…I know FFK is going nowhere, I’m 100% sure. It’s normal for you to sell your market to anyone interested.

    When asked if he could join APC, Fayose said: “I’m over 60, what else am I looking for. I became governor at 42. All the opportunities I wanted, PDP offered me. Some people could choose to be dishonorable, not me.”