Ondo: Unregistered herdsmen are criminals — Jiti Ogunye
Herdsmen must register to operate in Ondo or be rightly treated as criminals, constitutional lawyer Jiti Ogunye says.
The Ondo State Government have been in a war of press releases with the Muhammadu Buhari administration after Governor Rotimi Akeredolu ordered herdsmen to vacate forest reserves.
The presidency says the governor’s directive was unconstitutional. The state replied by saying Buhari’s federal government is emotionally attached to herdsmen.
Akeredolu said his directive was part of moves to curb a surge in violent crimes, including kidnappings and killings.
Every herdsman occupying any part of Ondo State forest without lawful permit is a criminal,” Ogunye weighed in via a Facebook post on Wednesday.
“Why? Every inch of Ondo State’s forest is owned either privately, communally or publicly by the government.
“Invasion of these forests by non-indigenous herdsmen, therefore, is an act of criminal trespass,” the lawyer said.
