Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has replied his counterpart from Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed who recently backed herdsmen carrying AK-47 and other weapons.
The Governor spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, questioning Mohammed’s comment at this point in time in the country.
Akeredolu condemned the statement by Mohammed who had last week defended the herdsmen who bear arms.
Bala Mohammed had while addressing newsmen in Bauchi, said that Fulani herdsmen have no option but to carry arms, adding that the herders were being attacked and killed and their cattle stolen.
And the Ondo Governor condemned the comment while commending President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the Nigeria Police to arrest any herdsmen seen with arms across the country.
Akeredolu further expressed worries over the deteriorating level of insecurity in the country, and lamented the recent killing of three prominent Ondo indigenes by herdsmen.
“How will a governor in this country today come out and say people should be allowed to carry arms when it is illegal? And not just arms he says they should carry double barrels and co. So people that are not licenced to carry guns, Bala Mohammed is suggesting to us that they should be able to carry it?” The Governor questioned.
“For what purpose? Bala Mohammed has even poured more petrol into the fire because his speech is unexpected of him. It will become very serious and nobody will be spared. So statements like that must be condemned and I condemn it.
“Bala Mohammed has not spoken like a statesman. He probably lost everything out, he lost out as to what his reaction should be,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Presidency on Monday directed the Nigeria Police to publish the list of Fulani herdsmen being tried for various crimes across the country.
