Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has declared firmly that he would not allow a few misguided individuals turn the sunshine state into a haven of dare-devil criminals.
He spoke during an interactive meeting with the leadership of the Hausa/Fulani and Ebira communities in the state where he ordered all herdsmen in the state to register with the state government within seven days.
Besides, he ordered all herdsmen in all the state’s Forest Reserves to vacate within the next seven days with effect from Monday, January 18. He also banned night-grazing with immediate effect.
Akeredolu stated that security reports and debriefings from victims of kidnap cases pointed in one direction traceable to some bad elements masquerading as herdsmen.
He said it was worrisome that the criminals have turned forest reserves in the state and across the Southwest into hideouts for keeping victims of kidnapping, negotiating for ransom, and carrying out other criminal activities.
He prohibited the movement of cattle within cities and highways and outlawed under-aged grazing of cattle.
According to him, “As the Chief Law and Security Officer of the State, it is my constitutional obligation to do everything lawful to protect the lives and property of all residents of the State. This meeting, therefore, is convened to address the issues of insecurity with the ultimate aim of attaining the goal of a safe environment.
“Recent security trends attest that these times require all hands to be on the deck as the difficulties we face are dire. The challenges are quite enormous but we are determined to confront them head-on.
“We decided that all the criminal elements who hide under various guises to aid the destruction of farmlands as well as perpetrate other violent crimes such as kidnapping, drug peddling and other nefarious activities, must be stamped out of our dear State.
“I wish to reassure the residents that the State Security Council, under my leadership, shall not relent in tackling these challenges as pragmatically possible. We shall remove all threats in no distant future.
The meeting was also attended by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami and the state commandant of the Amotekun Corps, Mr Tunji Adeleye.
Leaders of cattle rearers from different parts of the state said they would go back to talk to their people.
They also demanded to have a security outfit to help secure the forest.
