The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, on Thursday, warned that it will hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible if there is any breakdown of law and order in any part of the country, alleging that the Federal Government was supporting the Miyetti Allah.
The leaders of SMBLF, Yinka Odumakin (South West), Chief Guy Ikokwu (South East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South South) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt) were reacting to the Ondo State government’s seven days ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen to vacate its forest reserves.
The leaders noted that the issue was purely a residual matter which the Federal Government has no business to interfere with.
The forum explained that no responsible governor in any part of the country would allow what the Federal Government wants for Fulani herdsmen.
SMBLF warned, “Should there be any breakdown of law and order in any part of the country over this encouragement of Miyetti Allah against law and order, President Buhari will be held squarely responsible.”
It explained, “The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) is compelled to warn the Federal Government on the dangerous game it is playing over its overt support for Miyetti Allah to violate the lawful order of Ondo State Government banning grazing in its forest reserves.”
It added, “We are supposed to be the Federal Republic and Forest Reserves in states are fully residual matter to which the Federal Government has no business with.”
The Federal Government, in a statement by Garba Shehu said the Governor of Ondo lacks the full powers to decide on its reserves in spite of the Land Use Act that vests lands in states in the hands of Governors.
It noted that it is a continuation of the obsessive attachment to Miyetti Allah like the President instructing Governor Ortom to go and live peaceably with killers after Miyetti Allah killed 78 citizens of the stare in January 2019, to prevent Ondo from holding its rights on its reserves in the face of persistent killings of its people by herders occupying the reserves illegally.
The group called on all governors in all non-fulani communities who are being forced to live under Fulani terror to take proactive measures to secure their people lawfully.
