Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has condemned the statement credited to his counterpart from Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed that herdsmen have no option but to carry AK-47 for self-defence.
Mohammed had on February 12 defended the herdsmen who bear arms, claiming they are being attacked and killed by cattle rustlers.
He also condemned South West, South-East Governors, and also Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State over the manner in which they are handling farmer-herder clashes.
But speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Akeredolu questioned the Bauchi State Governor for defending herdsmen who carry arms and kill innocent Nigerians.
“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 barrel and co. So people are not licensed to carry guns, Bala Mohammed is suggesting to us that they should be able to carry it?” he said.
“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.
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The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the Nigeria Police to arrest some herdsmen who bear arms and other criminal elements.
Akeredolu explained that as Ondo governor, he is worried by the deteriorating level of insecurity in the country, especially the recent killing of three prominent Ondo indigenes by herdsmen.
He said that the insecurity issue is not an ethnic war, calling for collaboration to ensure that the challenges are tackled head-on.
