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Amotekun Warned: Foreign Herdsmen Are In Our Forests

The Chairman of the Oyo State of South-West Security Network, aka Amotekun, Gen. Kunle Togun (retd), on Wednesday advised residents of South-West states to be vigilant because of the presence of foreign Fulani herdsmen in forests in the region.

The Amotekun Commandant, who was a director at the Directorate of Military Intelligence, said the foreigners might unleash terror on the region.

He noted that the Fulani, who were mainly from Mali, Niger Republic, Chad and Burkina Faso, had been residing in the forests for some years.

The Amotekun boss said this on Wednesday while speaking at an annual lecture organised by the students of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan.

He spoke on the theme, “Security challenge: Holistic approach and the significance of regional security dimensions.”

Togun said, “The people who are supposed to administer Nigeria to move forward are biased in the aspect of religion. The Fulani that I grew up to know were the native Fulani.

“But these ones causing problems are non-Nigerians. They are from Futa Jallon, Mali, Bourkina Faso, Chad, Niger Republic. Some of these people were Tuaregs, who used to ambush traders in the olden days and robbed them of their money and property.

“These foreign Fulani, somebody has told them that Allah has given Nigeria to them as their heritage and they are coming here to come and take what Allah has given them.”

The Amotekun boss advised people in the six states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States to be security conscious.

Toogun said the commercial motorcyclists, who had infiltrated the region, were foot soldiers sent to study the topography of the region.

I’m disappointed Ortom is blaming me for Benue killings – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says he is disappointed he is receiving the blame for the recent attacks in Benue state.

Following a series of killings in the state by gunmen, Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, had call for the urgent intervention of the federal government.

About 11 soldiers, who were on peace keeping task, were recently killed in the state.

Ortom had also asked the president to rise up and address the nation since he took an oath of office to secure and protect lives and property.

Garba Shehu, presidential spokerson, in a statement on Thursday, said Buhari is pained by the killings, but sad that the governor will blame the attacks on the president.

“He also states his disappointment and sadness to hear Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State, make a litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state,” the statement reads.

“No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp.

“President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.

“The lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which unfortunately appeared to be the intent of the string of emotional attacks and blame laid at the doors of the President for those killings by Governor Ortom.

“President Buhari took an oath to defend the life and property of every citizen, a duty he takes seriously and is committed to ensuring.

“Those citizens, regardless of their affiliations, who either incite, sponsor or are proven to be abettors of these atrocities will face the law squarely and be answerable for their crimes against our fellow citizens and nation.”

He said while the president will continue to keep security agencies on their toes, there is a need for cooperation to promote peace.

He said Benue, under the Ortom administration, ought to cooperate with the federal government in the implementation of a number of national programmes to address the underlying issues affecting peace, progress and development.

Buhari, therefore, urged the governor to place the welfare of the people above all other interests.

Fear Grip Benue over Heavily Armed Herdsmen Influx

BENUE State Government on Wednesday raised the alarm of massive deployment of cows into the state.

The state Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, who disclosed this to journalists in Makurdi said 376 cows have been impounded for flouting the state anti-open grazing law. Abounu said that state livestock guards apprehended the cows between January 23 and 26, 2021 at Kasima in the Guma Local Government Area of the state.

While stating that six herdsmen have also been arrested and handed over to police, the deputy governor expressed worry over the influx of herdsmen to the River Benue in Agatu and Gwer West axis of the state.

The deputy governor explained that the State Security Council members confirmed the massive deployment of armed herdsmen.

He said, “While we are still investigating the declaration made by Nasarawa State Governor of the presence of Boko Haram at Benue/Nasarawa border, we noticed massive deployment of herdsmen on the brink of River Benue.

“We also observed that a good number of these people are heavily armed; many of them with AK47 rifles. As if this was not enough, we have been able to apprehend a good number of them in a village called Kasima in Guma Local Government Area.

“On January 23, 156 cows belonging to these herdsmen were apprehended, and on the 26 of this month, another 220 cows were apprehended from the same vicinity.

Culled from The Punch