He gave the ultimatum immediately after observing this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration in his emirate.

He said, “Our brothers the Nomadic herdsmen (Bororo) from neighbouring countries, you came to us to allow stay in our forest. We allowed you because are our brothers. When you came we welcomed you. We regarded you too as fellows Muslims.

“But the question you must answer is are you Muslims? This is a question we are waiting for an answer to. We deserve to know if you are Muslims.

“But if you are one of us (Muslims) and you decide to stay in the forest, coming only to kidnap us one by one for ransom, you should stop it because your attitude is not acceptable to Allah.

“But if you are not Muslims, I want to tell you, like we fought the infidels before, we are ready to fight you with all our strength.

“So I have given you (Bororo) 30 days to leave my emirate. If we see any one of you after the expiration of my ultimatum, we will kill him. I am calling on my subjects to know that and be ready to fight or else I will draw the line.

“We kill him without asking him what he came to do or ask his name or where he comes from. If we are going to be all killed let it be. If we will all die, let it be. We will not allow bastards come and be kidnapping our wives; take them to the forest and rape them or commit adultery with them.

“In one of the villages, we have the report of a District Head who is conniving with these criminals. He was arrested and granted bail by the police and the people are watching him. I think such a leader is not supposed to be living among us. Are you crazy to allow such a person to continue to live among you?

“Listen to me henceforth, any person who is found to be conniving with these criminals, we will go and kill his mother, and other siblings.

“For the police, we respect you to do your duty. If you arrest any kidnapper and set him free we are not going to accept that. Our armed youths will be directed to go after the kidnappers.

“There is no way we can not be free in our homes and worst we can not sleep with our two eyes closed. I am calling on Ardos (leaders of Fulani) to stop these barbaric acts in my emirate because you all know who are carrying out these criminals activities.

“I want to reiterate that any kidnapper that is set free by the security will not be spared. All those responsible for maintaining peace in my domain should come together to end the menace or we know what to do. Peace be upon you.”

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has supported the call for national dialogue by southern governors to address the issue of insecurity and other challenges in the country.

Featuring as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, he stated that those who have faulted the action of the governors misunderstood their motive of making such a move.

“What I understand from this whole meeting is that things are not well and I like the name they use – national dialogue… that is a call for peace, not for war. That should not be taken out of context,” said Okorocha who now represents Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly.

He added, “Since 1960, has there been any time the southern governors have met to say that they ban open grazing? The answer is no.

“Has there been any meeting where the southern governors have said the Fulanis or the herders are enemies? No! And I don’t think that is the intention of that meeting; if it is, then I don’t think I am part of it.”

State governors in the South met on Tuesday last week in Asaba, the Delta State capital where they resolved to ban open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in the region.

They put aside their political differences and called for a national dialogue, as well as restructuring of the country along with fiscal federalism, devolution of powers, and state policing, among other demands.

A group photograph of state governors in southern Nigeria after a meeting in Asaba, Delta State on May 11, 2021.

The governors had also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation and convene a national dialogue to address the agitations by various groups in the region.

While Okorocha commended the call for a national dialogue, he was concerned about the timing of such a call.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari may not have the luxury of time to convene such a dialogue considering that he has about two years to complete his second term in office.

“Coming to other issues of this national dialogue, my only concern about their statement is the time factor; If you look at it now, President Muhammadu Buhari has spent 70 per cent of his tenure as president, he has barely two years to go.

“And if you start forming this dialogue thing, I am sure it will take you six months to compose it and to set up a secretariat and others, that will take you up to January and by then, politics would have taken a different dimension and when will Buhari have the time to complete this whole thing?” the former governor asked.

Source : Channels tv