Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has urged the Federal government to declare killer herdsmen as terrorists, adding that they should be treated as such.
The governor also chided the Presidency for not deploying soldiers to quell the killings in Benue State when it was obvious that the police could not contain the situation.
He stated this in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, when he met with local hunters, the Agbekoya group and Benue people resident in the state.
The governor said intelligence reports indicated that some Bororo cattle rearers had swarmed on forest reserves in the state with the intent to cause havoc and make it look like the state’s Anti- Grazing Law was not working. But he vowed that such people would be rendered powerless.
Fayose charged the local hunters and others to be proactive and take control of the security of their communities.
“I am sympathising with our brothers and sisters from Benue State who are mourning the killing of their people. We are going to observe a minute silence for the dead. I saw pictures of the killings and wondered if the killers were human beings. They cut people’s necks, arms, and they want to wipe away a race and a people who are farmers. The killers will not know peace.
“The Federal Government must protect Nigerians and we are not protected and it is the duty of the government to do so. They killed first, second and third time and nothing was done to curtail their activities. It is unfortunate that Governor Samuel Ortom went seeking help where there is none. Those he is seeking help from in Abuja can’t help themselves. They ought to send army there but sent police who were being killed,” he said.
He wondered how a cow’s life would be termed more valuable than a human life.
He noted that many years back, cattle rearers were not carrying arms and questioned the rationale behind them now bearing sophisticated weapons.
He advised Benue people living in the state to form prayer groups to help their governor and people, saying the governor seemed to be overwhelmed by events unfolding in his state.
He mandated the local hunters and other vigilance groups to go out and secure the state and that some dedicated lines would be made public to report any strange movement or person.
On the plan by some All Progressives Congress leaders to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to hound and arrest Ekiti State officials, Fayose said such a move would fail woefully.
The Oluode, Chief Taye Bamisile, said the hunters and other vigilantes would rise up to the challenge.
In his own remarks, the leader of Benue people in Ekiti State, Pastor Israel Egede, commended Fayose for the gesture and lauded his proactive style.