Stop Harassing Us With War Talk We Are Not Afraid, Afenifere Tackles ACF says Arewa Leaders Talk Any How.

Afenifere’s spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, in a state­ment berated the ACF for stocking the embers of war.

“While we have gone to a great length to sue for peace and have appealed to our pained people to be law abiding, even with the daily provocations of the Fulani and harassment of our peo­ple, we frown at the very arrogant and insulting ACF statement, especially their reference to the event of 1966.

“We must make it clear to them that they cannot threat­en us with a war at this stage as we will not provoke war, but never are we going to run for anybody on our land.

“We are miffed that a body like ACF that has nev­er shown any remorse over the killing of our people can open their mouths anyhow now because there are conse­quences for the irresponsible actions of their people.

“We advise them to call their criminals to order and not expect our people to sheepishly wait to be killed by those who value cow lives more than human beings.

“We do not want a repeat of 1966 event but if there are people plotting such event again, the rain will be over their heads”, the statement added.

OBSERVERS TIMES recalled, Governor Ak­eredolu had given herders seven days ultimatum to vacate the forest reserves in the state.

The governor also banned night grazing with immedi­ate effect.

The governor, in a state­ment released on Monday, said the decision was based on the state of insecurity in Ondo State.

Akeredolu noted that bad elements had turned the for­est reserves into hideouts for keeping victims of kidnap­ping, negotiating for ran­som, and carrying out other criminal activities.

“All Forest Reserves in the state are to be vacated by herdsmen within the next 7 days with effect from today, Monday 18th January 2021,” Akeredolu said.

But, the presidency and Governor Akeredolu head­ed for a showdown over the ultimatum.

While the presidency said the governor had no consti­tutional powers to ask any­body to leave the state or any part of the state, the gover­nor insisted that his seven days ultimatum would stay.

In a statement by the Se­nior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Pub­licity in Abuja, the presiden­cy maintained that asking the herders to leave could set off a chain of events, which the constitution anticipated and tried to guard against.