President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, met separately with Governors Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Seyi Makinde of Ondo and Oyo States.
Details of the meetings are yet to be known, but it was learnt that the worrisome security challenges in both states and herdsmen was the main agenda.
Akeredolu had last week given a seven day ultimatum to herders in the state’s forestry reserves to quit and register with the state government. He argued that criminals among the herders are using the reserves as hideouts for their heinous activities. The ultimatum expired on Monday.
Also in the week, there were some reported clashes between herders and people of Igangan in Ibarapa area of Oyo State over cases of kidnapping, rape and killings of the people of the area allegedly by herdsmen.
A day earlier, the President and the Arole Oodua who is the foremost traditional ruler in Yorubaland, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, met behind closed doors in Aso Rock on the brewing ethnic crisis in Yorubaland.
It was gathered that the Ooni told the President, on Tuesday night, the position of traditional rulers in South-West on the activities of the herdsmen in the region.
An aide to the royal father said the Ooni told the president about the damage done by some criminal herders in Yorubaland.
He also told the president about steps taken by traditional rulers to ensure peace in the region.
Reacting to the pictures that surfaced online after the meeting, he said, “Yes, they met. The meeting was supposed to have held before now but it was postponed till early next month for some reasons. They had to meet again because of the latest development in Yorubaland involving herdsmen.
“They also discussed other important national issues. Kabiesi will give details later.”
Photographs released by the presidency in the early hours of Wednesday showed that Buhari’s Aide-de-camp, Col ML Abubakar as well as the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, also attended the meeting.Some Fulani herders had been accused of being responsible for kidnapping, maiming, and killings in the South-West, and were asked to leave.
