The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, met behind closed doors at Aso Rock on the brewing ethnic crisis in Yorubaland.
An aide to the monarch told our correspondent that the Ooni told the President the positions of traditional rulers in South-West on the activities of the herdsmen.
According to the aide, who prefers anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press on the matter, Ooni told the president about the damage done by some criminal herders in Yorubaland.
He also told the president about steps taken by traditional rulers to ensure peace in the region.
Reacting to the pictures that surfaced online after the meeting, he said, “Yes, they met. The meeting was supposed to have held before now but it was postponed till early next month for some reasons. They had to meet again because of the latest development in Yorubaland involving herdsmen.
“They also discussed other important national issues. Kabiesi will give details later.”
Photographs released by the presidency in the early hours of Wednesday showed that Buhari’s Aide-de-camp, Col ML Abubakar as well as the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, also attended the meeting.
It was reported that some Fulani herders had been accused of being responsible for kidnapping, maiming, and killings in the South-West, and were asked to leave.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had issued a two-week quit notice to the herders to leave the Ondo State forest reserves, arguing the criminals among the herders are using the reserves as hideouts for their heinous activities.
Also, on Friday, January 22, popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Igboho, and his supporters stormed Igangan town in the Ibarapa area of Oyo State to chase the Fulani heders out of the community after the expiration of a quit notice earlier issued.
(Punch)
